It's Not Fair
by UchihanoChidori
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke thought that he could deal with being attracted to his co-worker if he didn't give it much thought. One would think that having said co-worker feeling the same way about him would be good, right? It just wasn't fair that there was nothing they could do about it.
1. Chapter One: Work Sucks

**A/N:** **Inspired by a true story, but manipulated to fit the characters' personalities and the way I want the story to go. **

**You can imagine that this takes place in some unknown city, or in the AU Konoha. **

**Where I come from, primary schools teach English, Music and PE ****_after_**** the obligatory classes. This is called Extra Curricular Activities (ECA), and it can be taught by certificate teachers or simply by someone who proves that they have the skills to teach these subjects, which is why you can find lots of college students teaching ECAs. **

**Not betaed for the time being. **

**This is NaruSasu/SasuNaru.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters I use belong to Kishimoto Masashi-sama, the God of manga, drama and of hot characters that refuse to believe they are meant to get in each other's pants.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter One: Work Sucks**

A week had passed since he first started working as a teacher at a primary school, and if there was one thing he was one hundred and twenty percent sure about at this point was: he still hated kids with a passion.

People around him always said he would make a great teacher for some reason he couldn't really fathom no matter how hard he tried. Just because he was good at languages and had occasionally tutored a few people here and there didn't make him good at teaching, _at all_, and he knew it.

Fresh out of college, Uchiha Sasuke was still looking for his dream job at some editing company where he could be constantly surrounded by the two complementary things he loved the most – books and words; but since he still hadn't been lucky enough, he was stuck with teaching English to kids during their after school Extra Curricular Activities (ECA).

If it didn't pay so well, considering the few hours he worked a day (always the longest ever), he definitely would've quit long ago. His mother had encouraged him to at least give it a try at teaching to see how he'd do, so he had applied to several job offers of the kind just to indulge her and prove himself, and everybody else, that he wasn't suited for the job.

The school was considerably small compared to others; colorful, clean and very organized. After a few days, he became familiar with the hallways fairly easily, which was a plus, because he hadn't been particularly happy in asking this blond guy (a teacher, maybe, or a relative of one of the kids? It didn't really matter anyway) where the freaking bathroom was on his first day, considering things hadn't exactly been going well to begging with.

Sasuke had been literally thrown to the wolves. He hadn't been trained to deal with kids, and the coordinator of the ECA, Anko, hadn't given him any tips, simply telling him to find his own way of working with them and he'd be fine.

Sure he would. _Sure_.

He had been assigned three different classes, first, second and fourth years, and neither of them knew they were going to have a new teacher, and a young one at that. During those three hours, he was taken to meet his students, simply being dumped unceremoniously on the respective classrooms and introduced as the new English teacher before Anko closed the door behind him and left him to deal with the bomb that had just been dropped. The kids were shocked and immediately overdramatized. Sasuke had never seen so much snot and tears in such a short amount of time, and they asked so many questions he had no idea how to answer them. Those kids somehow seemed aware that he was a novice and were decided on making his life a living hell. He was completely lost and knew, simply _knew_ that, on his first day, he had completely blown his chances of being respected as a teacher.

Over the next few days he had tried everything: from being nice, to being evil – which didn't work half as well considering they supposed he was a good guy playing bad – to blackmailing and bribing. Bribing, it seemed, was what did the trick with the kids, so he used it as much as he could, even if he knew he wasn't supposed to solve things like that. He just wanted to teach what he was supposed to teach and get it over with. He didn't plan on sticking around for long, anyway, since he was still looking for another job and would be out of there in a heartbeat.

He supposed that, sometimes – very rarely – the kids were kind of funny and cute. Sometimes they hugged him during breaks or jumped him. They sometimes drew things for him that made his eyebrow twitch at the poor art. When these things happened, he almost liked working as teacher. _Almost_.

His co-workers were difficult people to deal with. There were four teachers for each ECA, namely, Music, English and PE. He usually saw a few of them at the teacher's lounge once in a while, but he could barely remember their names or faces, because he rarely lingered long enough to socialize unless it was strictly necessary. The other teachers were mainly as young as he was, some younger. He particularly disliked the PE teachers (Anko being one of them) because they acted arrogantly and tended to exude this over-energetic aura that demanded everyone's attention; attention Sasuke didn't want to pay. He suspected they didn't really like him very much for that. They tried to make conversation with him, but the topics rarely interested him, so it was hard for him to really offer some kind of polite and encouraging comeback.

He didn't really care about what other people thought of him – he was there to work, not to make friends. They all knew each other already, he was just a gloomy extra they had come to not pay much attention to. Good.

Still, he absolutely hated teaching, and those three hours he had to spend at school were the most excruciating ones of his day. Sasuke wanted to find another job, and he wanted to find it fast.

000

On the previous night, he had received an e-mail from Anko announcing a meeting with all the ECA staff concerning the upcoming preparations for Father's Day, reason why he was currently sitting at a corner at the large rectangular table in the teacher's lounge, quietly and attentively watching as his co-workers arrived and sat down around him, chatting good-naturedly among themselves. Sasuke took notice of some familiar faces he had seen here and there passing the hallways, as well as some that he had never seen before – or probably had but hadn't bothered to memorize them.

Vaguely, he noticed that the blond guy he had asked for directions on his first day was there as well, talking to two of their most eccentric looking colleagues who Sasuke knew were Music teachers. As soon as said guy entered the room, though, his eyes – which were probably the biggest and bluest Sasuke had ever seen – seemed to look for something until they landed on him. When the guy offered him a simple, friendly smile, Sasuke felt a little confused but bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment. The blond ended up sitting across from him and kept flashing tiny smiles at him and stealing glances his way for some reason. It was a little awkward, but it also made Sasuke have the distinct feeling that someone, apparently, had taken a liking to him. It made him feel strangely lighter all of a sudden, and that meeting didn't feel like such an uncomfortable event anymore.

By the time everybody had sat down, he was already used to the feeling of empathy coming from his blond companion.

"As I explained on the e-mail I sent you yesterday, the PE teachers are going to organize various sport-related activities for Father's Day," Anko began from Sasuke's right, once the group had settled down. "As it is, ECA classes will be suspended for the day in favor of some good father-child bonding. The headmaster has already approved, so all we have to do is getting everything ready for the day."

Murmurs of approval could be heard from all around, and even Sasuke allowed himself a small smirk of relief. One day of work without having to teach moody brats seemed like heaven to him.

"However, we have created a map of activities that will have to be followed with precision so things don't get messy," Anko proceeded. "Every class and respective parents will have their turns in participating in said activities, but we need to work together to keep things rolling smoothly and according to plan. For this purpose, I have paired you guys up and assigned three classes for each pair. I will now distribute the map of activities and the sheet with the respective pairs and classes assigned to them."

Well, working in pairs was just another bonus, Sasuke thought, feeling his mood brighten up even more. Less responsibility on his shoulders and all that. Unless the person he was going to work with was an ass.

Anko got up and started distributing the sheets of paper.

When the map and charts were given to him, he quickly read through everything and noticed that he would have his fourth years as well as two third year classes he didn't know. He also noticed that his partner would be someone called Uzumaki Naruto, but the name didn't ring a bell at all.

His colleagues were already exchanging waves and exclamations of joy with their assigned partners, but Sasuke had absolutely no idea who was his.

"Please, pair up with your partner for the day and organize yourselves as best as you can," Anko finished, before leaning in to talk to her fellow PE teachers.

Sasuke looked around curiously, not really knowing how to approach someone he didn't know. He wondered if the guy knew who he was. Well, even if he didn't, Sasuke would just wait until everyone had paired up until only one, confused individual remained – then he'd approach the person.

He felt someone slumping heavily on the chair Anko had previously occupied and looked to the side to see who it was, only to find the blond guy smiling goofily at him. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at him before noticing the extended hand.

"Sasuke, right?" the blond inquired easily. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet you!"

Feeling a little surprised at the odd coincidence, Sasuke stretched out his hand and shook the one offered to him, saying a simple "Yeah, nice to meet you, too."

"It seems impossible that we haven't spoken to each other, yet!" Naruto said jovially, showing a row of pretty white teeth that were absurdly straight. "I mean, how long have you been working here?"

"A month and a half," Sasuke answered plainly, noticing that Naruto's suddenly radiant energy made him feel all sorts of confused feelings and he didn't know if he appreciated the friendly manner or if it made him want to tense up in annoyance. "And we _have _met once when I started working here. I asked you for directions."

Naruto's smile faltered ever so slightly. "Really? I don't remember at all. I do know that I see you often."

Ah, yes, it definitely made him feel tense, Sasuke thought.

"You do?" he inquired suspiciously.

"Yes, your second year classroom is straight across from where I teach my third years," Naruto explained. When Sasuke's eyebrows rose in disbelief, he let out a small cackle. "You never noticed? Well, I think it's normal, you're always the last one to arrive at work and the first one to leave. I could never catch up to you."

Sasuke cleared his throat in embarrassment. He was never late for work, but it wasn't as if he made an effort to arrive early and chat with his co-workers. Also…yes, it was true that, as soon as the last bell rang, he made his way towards the exit as fast as he could, chasing the sweet freedom of the world outside, kids free and an impending nicotine craving 'mode: ON'.

However, he never would've guessed that someone had noticed it.

Naruto laughed again at Sasuke's lack of response, slapping his arm amicably. "Chill, man, I'm not attacking you," he let his voice drop a little, in a conspicuous way. "I know some of our co-workers are kind of stuck up and all ass-hole-ish, but there's cool people around here, too. Namely, me, of course. And Shikamaru and TenTen over there, too."

Sasuke almost snorted at the arrogance, but instead ended up smirking. "Yeah, sure," he noticed that his blue-eyed colleague was eyeing him intently, if not a little curiously. "So… what is it that you're teaching?"

"Music," Naruto replied, beaming happily at him. "Just like Shika, TenTen and Genma. You're doing English, right?"

"Right," Sasuke muttered.

"You're the first male English teacher that we've had in a while," Naruto informed, matter-of-factly, supporting his elbow on the table. "It's a good thing, though, there are too many women here. Apart from the two of us, there are only three more guys and the rest is all females. Not that TenTen counts, really, 'cause she's… you know… not really into guys."

"I'm not sure that you should be providing this kind of information to a complete stranger," Sasuke said, frowning.

"Ah, whatever, it's not like she keeps it a secret, anyway," Naruto dismissed, with a gesture of his hand. "She has a thing for one of the PE teachers, Temari, but Temari is _so _into Shika it's ridiculous."

"Okay…"

Why was this conversation becoming more awkward by the second? Not only that, why was this person – a clearly moronic stranger – talking to him like they had known each other since forever?

Sasuke wasn't exactly a people person, which meant that, probably (or not) he was missing the point of Naruto's interaction. Maybe the blond just wanted to make him feel at ease… or something. Still, talking about other people's lives seemed like a stupid way to do it. Not that Sasuke knew anything about it, anyway.

"So, shall we get started then?" Naruto suggested energetically and, without waiting for Sasuke's reply, began arranging the small sheaf of papers he had brought with him, setting it in front of them so they could take a look at it. "Okay, so third year, Class B is mine, and the fourth year, Class A, is yours, right? I think that the other third years are Yugito's or something. We should probably talk to her and see if the kids are well behaved and if there're things we should take in consideration. Some kids can really be troublesome when handed to a different teacher, you know?"

As they worked together, Naruto did most of the talking, which was fine by Sasuke, since the other seemed to have a mouth big enough to talk for a mob of people. As he babbled on and on and pointed at the maps, Sasuke looked at him sideways in a dissimulate way, noticing just then that, in spite of how weird and naïvely open the guy was, his bright, easy-going nature allowed him to slowly, but consistently, relax around him.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but there definitely was some kind of mutual empathy there, and it was something that kind of freaked Sasuke out, because he was picky about people, and never in his life had he actually felt connected to another person he had just met so quickly.

It also fascinated him a bit, even if it was hard for him to admit.

It was the strangest of feelings, Sasuke mused. Naruto wasn't exactly the kind of person he'd usually like to hang out with, and yet, something about him made Sasuke empathize in a weird way. Maybe it was just because, unlike his other co-workers, Naruto had actually bothered to be nice instead of trying to start a forced conversation. He had the distinct feeling that Naruto was the kind of person who was capable of embarrassing the people around him with his personality, and Sasuke totally hated people like that. But he felt, deep down, that the blond was… kind of a nice guy. And it felt good to actually socialize with someone from work for a while, at least, even if, after Father's Day, they'd go back to being complete strangers. Hopefully not. It'd be nice to have some kind of an accomplice in that kids' battleground that was that school.

TBC…

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**This was me trying to write differently than usual. I'm trying to cut back on the unnecessary descriptions and writing shorter chapters and all that. Hopefully it's okay?**

**I've been dying to start something new, seriously. I hope you guys like it!**

**This is dedicated to my readers, who put up with me and my weird writing. I love you all!**

**Let me know what you think, 'kay? ;) And Happy 2014!**


	2. Chapter Two: Empathy

**A/N:** New chapter! This story's going to develop really fast, so it might be about… 10 chapters or something? I think you guys might come to love it at some point – I already do – and I'm seriously eager to reach its ending because… it's cute, and it's… my perfect ending for this kind of story. But be prepared, for there will be drama!

Thank you to those who reviewed, and thank you for faving and following! I love you all!

Not betaed for the time being.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Two: Empathy**

Naruto was still a student at the Music Conservatory. He wanted to be a singer. Also, he really liked to talk. More like, he liked to talk in order to coerce Sasuke into being more talkative. It wasn't like he asked complicated or personal questions, no; he was simply good at making small talk and, as Sasuke discovered, good at making him actually enjoy it in spite of the, sometimes, absurd subjects he picked up. Like that one time when he asked Sasuke if he liked birds. When Sasuke said he didn't care about birds, Naruto had rambled on and on about how cute and cheery birds were and why everybody should definitely have one for a pet.

He also seemed to have made it a habit of stalking Sasuke – not that the dark-haired one liked to phrase it that way – and making sure they actually ran into each other once in a while and exchanged a few words, casual as they might be.

Sometimes, Sasuke wondered if the blond really had taken a liking to him or if he had taken him on as some kind of charity case because, seriously, Naruto got along with _everyone._ Sasuke's behavior made it clear that he wasn't there to make friends and that, apart from a few people who didn't grate his nerves just by opening their mouths, he didn't really like any of his co-workers. Naruto knew this, and didn't seem to want to force him inside the circle of teachers that surrounded them, which, to Sasuke, was strange, to say the least.

Mostly, Naruto just liked to talk to him. Not that Sasuke was against it, because he kind of liked him. A little, _tiny_ bit. He didn't even know him all that well, but they did seem to get along, and it was easy to exchange words with him, which was a plus. Sasuke wasn't exactly someone easy to converse with.

Also, Sasuke had once wasted his time watching Naruto with his class at the end of the day and had instantly admired (and secretly envied) how well Naruto dealt with the kids. It was clear that they not only respected, but admired him as well. And Naruto seemed to really have fun working as a teacher, unlike Sasuke himself, who always felt an anguishing, sickening twist in his stomach every time he even neared the school, and was exhilaratingly happy when the day was over so he could go home.

He wasn't cut out for the job _at all_. The thought pursued him every day, but his lack of working experience wasn't really helpful in finding him another one.

On Father's Day, though, Sasuke was in an abnormal good-mood, even if it wasn't perceptible by people around him.

Gathering the three classes and keeping them considerably quiet until the parents arrived was actually pretty easy thanks to Naruto's loud barks of energetic orders. Even with the mess of fathers barging in through the school entrance and kids running to them in excited expectancy, things went rather smoothly and the two of them managed to keep up with the schedule for the map of activities in an organized way.

Much to Sasuke's annoyance, he noticed how he couldn't keep his eyes away from the blond as he laughed, played with the kids and chatted with the fathers (and some mothers) of the students. How he wished he could be like that, so outgoing and easy to fall in people's good graces. How he wished he liked dealing with human beings as much as Naruto did.

His annoyance, however, didn't last long, because Naruto was just that – a little warm ray of sun that everyone pursued in hopes of feeling good and comfortable. So, in spite of himself, Sasuke found the corner of his mouth twitching upwards as Naruto joyfully played football with two of the classes while Sasuke supervised the remaining class's game of Pictionary, leaning against the silvery fence surrounding the large sports' field, currently packed with children, teachers and parents, all of them occupied with playing some sort of game or immersed in some activity.

It was a sunny day, but the light breeze was a bit chilly, so he crossed his arms over his chest to keep warm.

When Naruto ran up to him and promptly collapsed against the fence, making it swing dangerously, Sasuke, who was leaning against it, had to brace himself and steady his feet so as to not lose his footing. He promptly glared at his beaming colleague.

"'Sup?" Naruto inquired in a breathless way, showing off his far too perfect teeth. "You should definitely go play, the dads are all pretty awesome."

"No, thanks," Sasuke dismissed, looking at him sideways. Naruto was fanning himself with his own hand as he let his back rest against the fence. His eyes seemed bluer under the late afternoon sun, his messy hair glowing and resembling gold.

"I bet it'd be fun!" Naruto pressed on, once he managed to breathe properly, elbowing him. "Bonding with the kids and all that."

"I already bond enough with them as it is."

"You're so cold," the blond teased, poking his side playfully. "You really don't like teaching, do you?"

"It's a job, and it pays well," Sasuke replied simply, swatting his hand away. He checked his watch. "Two more minutes before we have to move on to the next set of activities. You should hurry if you still want to play a bit of Pictionary."

"Do I sense sarcasm and condescendence for my liking of games?" Naruto inquired, grinning. "Or maybe you just miss me because I left you here all alone and brooding."

"You wish," Sasuke snorted. He had wanted to make a face but ended up smirking. "And I don't brood, you silly man."

"Of course not," Naruto was the one sounding condescending now, tilting his head to the side and looking at him curiously, a look Sasuke didn't really understand but that he had become used to. "But I'm done playing for the day, anyway. I'm going to keep you company from now on. After all, it's not like we get to hang out like this every day."

Sasuke couldn't really see how this had anything to do with 'hanging out', but he didn't bother to correct his new friend. It felt weird to already be thinking about the other as such, but to his usually very impenetrable heart where Naruto was slowly warming his way in, it made a bit of sense. Also, he appreciated the company since it was kind of boring to just supervise activities by himself and not doing anything else. And no, he was fine not being involved in any of the games, _thank-you-very-much_.

000

At the end of the day, Naruto had been unavoidably kidnapped by some of the parent who wanted to talk to him, so Sasuke didn't really feel like interrupting just to say goodbye. Still, as he left the school grounds, he was feeling pretty pleased by the calm that followed him instead of the usual distress.

He still lit one of his black cigarettes, more out of habit than out of necessity. He was just about to shove his earplugs in his ears, ready to enjoy some music – he was feeling like listening to something cheery – when he heard his name being called. With his cigarette hanging from his lips, he stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder to see Naruto running towards him.

"Damn, you could've waited for me!" the other huffed, pouting ever so slightly as he came to halt in front of him.

"You were busy," Sasuke retorted, after taking the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and expelling the smoke.

"Well, I wasn't going to be busy forever," Naruto defended, as they resumed walking, side by side. "Are you heading for the train station?"

Vaguely, Sasuke wondered if Naruto had taken a guess – since the train station was about three minutes from the school, by foot – or if he had actually noticed that Sasuke took the train home every day, even though he always took a different direction from his.

"No, I'm taking the subway today," Sasuke replied absently, adjusting his bag on his shoulder.

"Cool, me too!" Naruto said, flashing him his ever so bright smile. "I usually take a different line, but I still have to run a few errands before heading home."

Sasuke's mobile phone vibrated inside his pocket and he fished it out, quickly checking his received messages.

"Are you going to meet someone?" the blond inquired casually.

"Yeah, my wife," Sasuke said, texting said wife back. "She works at the local hospital."

Naruto was silent for a few seconds, during which Sasuke finished his text and shoved his mobile phone back inside his pocket. When he took a drag from his cigarette again, he chanced a glance at his companion, who was watching him with a shocked expression. "What?"

"You're kidding, right?" Naruto inquired, in disbelief. "I mean... you're... _married_? Like, _really_ married?"

"Yes, for about a year and a half now," Sasuke replied, finding Naruto's surprise quite amusing as he lifted the hand that was holding his cancer stick and turned it so that it was showing the golden ring on his finger that proved his words. "I thought you would've noticed by now."

He could've sworn Naruto had turned a deadly shade of grey before, not even five seconds later, beginning to blush violently. "Well, it's not like I can notice something like that without really looking for it," he mumbled, shoving his hands inside his pockets. "I mean... how old _are_ you?"

"I'll be 23 this summer."

"Wow," Naruto said, shaking his head from side to side. "We're the same age and I still live with my pervert of a Godfather. I suppose you already have your own place and all that."

Sasuke actually chuckled. "Yeah, Karin and I actually purchased an apartment a few months ago. Since she's got a steady job and all that, we were pretty lucky."

"Mm..." Naruto said simply, apparently at loss for what else to say. Sasuke noticed he had taken a somewhat serious expression, choosing to look straight ahead with a thoughtful frown. He looked oddly older and mature like that.

"Is it _that_ surprising?" Sasuke inquired, letting his cigarette fall to the ground and stomping on it before resuming his walk, promptly ignoring his colleague's reproachful look.

"I guess," Naruto admitted, shrugging. "I mean, you're young. But you look like someone very down to earth, so I'm sure you got married and all that knowing exactly what you were doing, in spite of the romantic aspect of it."

"Yeah."

They made it to the subway entrance and descended the steps to the underground, immersing themselves in the crowd of people that filled it, considering it was rush hour.

In spite of Sasuke's protests that it was okay to go ahead, Naruto waited for him to purchase his ticket, even though they would be going on opposite directions. Once he had his ticket, he put his wallet away inside his bag and stood in front of Naruto, who had chosen to smile at him slightly and rubbing the back of his head in an almost shy demeanor.

"So…" he started, but his voice became raspy, so he cleared his throat before proceeding. "The other Music teachers and I sometimes hang out at nearby café after work. They're really cool people. You should definitely hang out with us sometime, 'kay?"

For a few seconds, Sasuke's narrowed eyes observed the young man in front of him, wondering why Naruto looked so suddenly uncomfortable when he was always such a joyous, confident person, always ready to invade another person's personal space and just do whatever he wanted. Maybe it was that he was scared Sasuke might give him a snappish reply, or flat out refuse the offer. He also wondered why it made him slightly (_slightly_) happy that Naruto's eyes were so honest and hopeful.

"I'll think about it," he said, and even though his tone was plain and nonchalant, Naruto's eyes visibly lit up and his smile broadened.

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, clearly relieved. "We'll get together on Thursday, since I don't work tomorrow." Ah yes, Sasuke thought. He worked five days a week, but Naruto only worked four, and the next day, Wednesday, was his day off. Naruto patted his shoulder in a friendly gesture. "You have over twenty four hours to think about it, so think hard, ne?"

When Naruto winked at him, Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever, dumbass. I have to go."

"Ah, yeah, me too!" The hand landed on Sasuke's shoulder before squeezing it briefly. "See ya, Sasuke!"

He ran off, quickly getting lost in the crowd while Sasuke watched him disappear, torn between confusion and amusement. He noticed that his shoulder still tingled with the after feel of the touch he had experienced. He didn't really like being touched by anyone that wasn't either a relative, a friend or, of course, his wife. It was daunting to him that he didn't mind Naruto's touch, even when it was in the form of some annoying poking.

Did Naruto really like him, even though he had such a sullen, anti-social personality? It would be nice, he thought, to actually have someone who liked him for who he really was other than his looks or his brains.

Sasuke didn't have many friends. In fact, the few ones he did have were people he had no idea whatsoever how he had become friends with in the first place, except for his best friend, whom he'd known since he was a child. Even his relationship with Karin – whose personality contrasted hugely with his – had come as a big shock to everybody, including him.

He didn't think he was a bad person; he just had bad social skills. That and people often misinterpreted his moody attitude as antagonism. It was just the way he was. Not that he liked people all that much, anyway.

Still, Naruto seemed to get him in his own way, and it made Sasuke feel an unknown but fairly pleasant warm feeling in his stomach. As he went on his way to catch the subway train, he couldn't help the tiny smile that graced his mouth.

000

"...and it's weird," Sasuke proceeded, frowning a little at his plate, his hand still holding chopsticks that had frozen in midair where he had left them as he spoke. "I don't think I have ever felt so weirdly comfortable around someone so fast."

His best friend, Neji, had invited him over for dinner since Sasuke's wife was doing the night shift at the hospital, so Sasuke, in spite of himself, had felt the impeding need to tell someone about his co-worker and what was quickly becoming the easy beginning of a comfortable friendship.

Across the table, Neji set his own chopsticks down elegantly and cleaned his mouth with a napkin.

"I think it's good that you found someone you empathize with," he said, in his typical calculating way, reaching out for the bottle of red wine and pouring more of the liquid in his and Sasuke's glasses. "He seems like a good person, and if you like him, I don't see why you shouldn't give yourself the chance to really bond with someone." Sasuke cringed a little at the word 'like', which led him to grab his glass and sip on his beverage as Neji proceeded. "After all, apart from a select few, you hate everybody else."

"I guess," the young Uchiha said, before licking his lips thoughtfully for remnants of wine. "I don't know him all that well, though. We've only ever spoken about work or frivolous things. It's only been little under two weeks since we started getting along."

"Then get to know him," Neji replied calmly. "If he's not worth it, I'm sure you'll catch on his flaws soon enough, being as picky as you are."

"Yeah." A sudden excitement made Sasuke take another sip of wine, but the feeling was quickly replaced by apprehension. "I don't want to be disappointed, though," he admitted, frowning. "I always do with people I 'get to know' because they never _get_ me, and I grow bored and… it's tiring."

Neji was silent for a moment, grey eyes that were of such a light shade they seemed almost pearly fixing Sasuke with simplicity. "I can't tell you what to do," he stated seriously. "But you know how I feel about it. If you don't give yourself the chance to try something new out of fear of getting hurt or disappointed, you might miss out on something good. Remember, I used to be just like you before I met Ino. I just hope you can listen to me for a change and see how this can be a good thing."

Sasuke looked down at his drink, suddenly transfixed by the deep dark color.

Sasuke remembered Neji as kid, always anti-social and suspicious of others. His strict upbringing forced him to grow up too fast and focus solely on studying and impressing the uncle that had adopted him after his parents' death. Sasuke remembered that he was the one who, at some point during kinder garden, took pity on Neji and wanted to be friends because he had no parents. Neji had always been a hard stone to crack, and even he didn't have many friends until high school, when he met his current fiancé, the cheery, attractive and energetic Ino who broadened his horizons and finally made him open up to people. Sasuke couldn't say that he regretted Neji's new vision of people and life. In a way, the 'new' Neji told him what he had needed/wanted to hear at the present moment, even if he wouldn't admit it.

Sasuke _did_ need someone from the outside to tell him to give Naruto a chance.

He _was_ tired of being given up on. People around him either had this image of what they thought he was and then abandoned him when they noticed that image wasn't accurate, or they found him to be unapproachable and nonchalant, and took his actions in a wrong way. Most people admired him at some point, but then found him to be cold and mistook his collected personality for lack of care. Or maybe it wasn't a misunderstanding at all and Sasuke genuinely didn't care, because those people hadn't interested him to begin with.

Still, a selfish part of him had wanted them to care enough to fight for him instead of just… giving up.

To him, people had always been frivolous and easily influenced, causing them to be nothing more than clones, replicas of what was supposed to be 'socially normal'. Girls and guys all looked the same and wore the same clothes. He hated people that lacked that certain 'it' that was theirs alone and not copied from someone else, based on some stupid idea of what was supposed to be 'cool' and 'trendy'.

But Naruto wasn't like that, Sasuke could tell. He was genuine, every little trait, every gesture, every quirk… everything was _his_. Maybe, even, his silly desire to be friends with him. Naruto, at least, didn't seem discouraged by Sasuke's short replies or occasional insults. Sure, he talked too much and sometimes said stupid things. He also liked to behave immaturely once in a while, and he liked to poke him a lot, which was annoying. But at the same time, he was very _human_ and perceptive. He seemed to understand that Sasuke needed time to adjust to socializing – especially with someone so outgoing – and still, he never stopped being who he really was. Somehow, that made Sasuke's curiosity of Naruto grow.

Also, he would be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy the attention and the prospect of actually getting to know someone knew after so long.

He found himself smiling a bit, as he set his glass down, feeling considerably more relieved and decided. He was also surprised at the realizations that he genuinely _wanted_ to be friends with the blond.

"Yeah," he said simply, offering his friend a small shrug. "I might give it a try, then."

Neji smiled.

TBC...

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**Don't forget to review ;)**


	3. Chapter Three: Flirt With Me - Part I

**A/N:** I told you I'd be fast in updating this story! The sooner I get it out of my system, the sooner I can start focusing on my other fics.

I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so far! Look forward to the upcoming chapters, 'cause they'll be intense ;)

**From now on, I'll be replying to reviews that have been submitted without a profile at the end of each chapter.**

Not betaed for the time being.

This has been edited.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Three: Flirt With Me – Part I**

On Thursday morning , Sasuke woke up looking forward to hanging out with Naruto and his group. It wasn't like he had ever spoken much to the others, but if Naruto was there, he was sure it would be fine.

He wasn't nervous, more like anxious because he was about to do something that he wasn't used to doing and getting out of his daily routine was something that both excited and made him fidgety.

Going to work a little bit earlier than usual hadn't been intentional at all. He hadn't even felt warm inside when he arrived at the teachers' lounge and Naruto flashed him a surprised but happy grin. Seriously, that smile of Naruto's was infectious and it made Sasuke feel exasperated and awkward for reasons he couldn't justify.

However, if someone were to question Sasuke about his abnormal early arrival he would say that under no circumstance did he do it so he could have a few minutes to chat with the blond before work. Nope.

The group was pretty laid back, and they all seemed more than okay with Sasuke tagging along. Even the cheery – and apparently lesbian, or so Naruto said – Tenten, seemed thrilled that he was going to join them.

After those three blissfully uneventful hours of teaching brats, Sasuke and his four co-workers made their way to the café. The Music teachers mainly talked among themselves, but it didn't bother the dark-haired male one bit, since it gave him time to observe them individually.

Shikamaru seemed like the most reasonable and smart of them all, even though Genma was the eldest – probably in his late thirties or more. Tenten was as loud as Naruto – if not more, since her feminine voice contributed in making her even more annoying in that aspect – and Genma had an air of cockiness and always seemed to have a smart-assed remark up his sleeve. Still, he seemed very down to earth in his own way.

The café was about five minutes by foot from the school. Since the afternoon wasn't exactly cold, they chose a table outside. Even though the place was small, Sasuke could tell that it was popular because of its packed interior.

Sasuke sat between Naruto and Genma as the young waitress approached them. They all seemed intent on ordering beer, so Sasuke ordered one for himself as well, even though it had been a while since he last had one.

He took out his pack of cigarettes and brought one of the cancer sticks to his lips. He then searched his pockets for his lighter only to find it missing.

"Damn it," he muttered, wondering if he might've dropped it somewhere. The sound of the flicker of a lighter made itself be heard and Sasuke noticed that there was a small flame in front of him. He looked up to see Naruto holding a lighter, so Sasuke leaned forward and made the tip of his cigarette meet the fire as he inhaled. He didn't show his surprise, expelling the smoke and looking to the side to see Naruto now lighting his own cigarette before slamming the lighter carelessly on the table.

"I didn't know you smoked," Sasuke replied matter-of-factly, just as Naruto leaned back on his chair and looked back at him with a small smile.

"Now you know," he said, shrugging. Sasuke watched him for a few seconds. If he were to be honest with himself, he never would've pegged Naruto for a smoker because he didn't look like the type of person who indulged such things, so it was definitely a surprise.

Maybe Naruto was just trying to play cool? Shikamaru was smoking as well. For some reason, Sasuke found himself looking for the usual flaws that non-smokers had when they wanted to pretend they smoked, but found none. Naruto knew how to do it properly; the fingers holding the stick were firm and relaxed, devoid of awkwardness, and he had his own worn out pack resting innocently next to Sasuke's.

The four of them were chatting amicably as they waited for the drinks, but Sasuke didn't really pay attention to what they were saying because, somehow, he felt disturbed by the sight of Naruto smoking. It wasn't that it annoyed him, and definitely not like he had something against it. It was just… maybe he wasn't disturbed on the negative sense? He couldn't seem to put his finger on it, but it was something that made him feel strangely uncomfortable.

"I thought you wanted to be a singer," Sasuke pointed out before he could stop himself, making Naruto look back at him with his eyebrows quirked upwards. "Smoking can't be good for your voice."

Naruto let out a good-natured laugh. "Come on, lots of singers smoke," he said nonchalantly. "Besides, I reckon it makes the voice sound sexier."

"Is that so?" Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes.

Naruto beamed. "Of course! Also, it makes a guy look cool. You join a hot rock star with a cigarette and BAM! You've got the ideal idol."

At this point, Sasuke looked unimpressed. "Really?"

"Come on, don't I look cool?" Naruto inquired, purposefully striking a 'Marlboro' pose that almost made Sasuke snort.

"So you only smoke to look cool?" the Uchiha inquired, harshly flicking his cigarette over the ceramic ashtray the waitress had brought for them to rid it of excessive ash.

Naruto actually had the decency of looking both affronted. "No!" he defended, frowning. "I actually like it, just so you know." He seemed to pout for a few seconds before straightening his back and turning to face Sasuke so quickly it startled him. "Wait, you just admitted that I look cool with a cigarette!"

"When did I ever say anything like that?" Sasuke retorted, making a face that he hoped was disgusted.

"Aw, come on, admit it!" Naruto teased, now grinning like mad. "Or are you like those homophobe guys who are scared of being misinterpreted if they praise another man?"

"I'm not such a thing!" Sasuke protested, for some reason, feeling his cheeks heat up from both embarrassment and annoyance. "Why would I praise you if you look like a moron?"

"That is _so_ not true and you know it!"

And it wasn't. In fact, Sasuke, noticed, not without a bit of shock, Naruto _did_ look pretty good holding a cigarette. There was just something about his hands, his pose, and the way his mouth shaped to inhale from the stick that was eye-catching._Very_ eye-catching, and that was what was so disturbing to Sasuke.

Not finding the will to reply, Sasuke snorted and looked away, bringing his own cigarette to his lips and taking a long, deep drag. The waitress chose that moment to bring their beers, so he keenly grabbed for his large mug and took a couple of healthy gulps.

"Naruto, stop annoying him," Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his head with a confused look. "Who cares about how a person looks when they're smoking, anyway?"

"You should care, because it's all about the sex appeal!" Naruto said firmly, as if it was obvious. "I mean, just look at him!" he pointed at Sasuke with his thumb. "Doesn't _he_ look good? Who wouldn't want to look like _that_? If I know I look even a bit like that, I'll be a happy man."

Sasuke chanced a suspicious glance at the blond, feeling thoroughly confused by what he was saying.

"And, knowing you, a very conceited one, as well," Genma joked, before taking a sip of his own beer. He smacked his lips appreciatively. "Ah, that hit the spot."

"I say sex appeal is very important!" Naruto insisted, stubbornly. "I mean, if I was as good-looking as duck-butt here, I'd have no problem getting laid whatsoever."

Sasuke almost choked on his tenth gulp of beer but managed to swallow successfully before it went down the wrong way. Clearing his throat, he set his mug down, noticing he had already downed half of its content.

Did Naruto just say he was... _good-looking_? That was a weird thing to say about another guy. Then again, Naruto was _that_ kind of person and always spoke his mind where other people – ordinary people – would chose to keep to themselves. Still, it made Sasuke's cheeks burn up.

"Whatever you say, man," Genma stated, shrugging. Then, amicably patting Shikamaru on the back, he added "Shika here has none of that. He has the sex appeal of an old, rusty pot."

"Geez, thanks..." Shikamaru retorted, looking downcast.

"Are you trying to covertly flirt with Sasuke, Naruto?" Tenten teased, pinching Naruto's ear playfully. "Maybe his good looks are affecting you?"

"How would you know if he's good-looking or not, you damned lesbo?" Naruto complained, swatting her hand away with a frown.

"How would _you_?" she pressed on, grinning mischievously as if she knew something apparently no-one else did. Sasuke noticed Naruto throwing a bewildered look at her, but she merely waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Please, I'm not blind," the blond said dismissively.

"I'm not the one _flirting_," Tenten said, in a sing-song way.

"I'm _not_ flirting!" Naruto spat. He looked away from the girl but ended up facing Sasuke instead, only to realize the other young male was watching him curiously, so he quickly turned his face so he was looking straight ahead. Sasuke noticed, not without a bit of fascination, that Naruto's own cheeks had gained the most fascinating shade of pink.

"You've been practically begging for him to compliment you since the conversation started; it's the same thing."

"Tenten!"

"You do look good smoking, and you are good-looking," Sasuke really had no idea what led him to say such a thing, but it effectively silenced his two loud co-workers, which was a great feat since he was becoming pretty uncomfortable. "Now can we_please_ change the fucking subject?"

Well, it served its purpose, but now, the group was looking at him, all four of them wearing identical expressions of astonishment.

A few seconds of awed silence passed before Genma spoke, almost solemnly. "The boy's got a dirty mouth," he said, still eyeing Sasuke with disbelief. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Holy shit," Naruto muttered, his eyes wide as he stared at Sasuke in bewilderment. "You _can_ swear."

"Of course I can swear," Sasuke mumbled with a frown, putting out his half smoked cigarette on the ashtray.

"Fuck yeah!" Tenten exclaimed joyfully, waving her mug in the air and spilling a bit of beer on the table. "I'm so fucking happy I can say whatever curse words I fucking want! I say we make a fucking toast to that!" She got up and extended her mug to Sasuke, who merely smiled a bit and picked up his own mug before making it collide carefully with hers. "Welcome to the fucking club, Sasuke!"

They both took a sip on their beers as Shikamaru groaned. "Great, now we're back to listening to the word 'fuck' one thousand times a day."

The girl sat back down, sticking her tongue out to him. "You say 'fuck', too; you just like to act like you're so smart and civilized, but I know you! Come on, say 'fuck you'!"

Sasuke actually felt his smile broadening when Genma snorted and Shikamaru rolled his eyes, saying "Fuck, no, you crazy woman."

Tenten brust out laughing. Naruto chuckled.

All of a sudden, the mood had lightened considerably as the other three Music teachers argued with each other about curse words and fake morals. Listening to them for a while almost distracted Sasuke from the weirdness of the previous conversation, but then he felt an odd sensation all over his body, like some invisible force was weighting him down and he looked to the side to see that, unlike before, Naruto was now looking at him openly. That strange, curious but serious look made his eyes seem brighter in the setting sun's light. Naruto brought his cigarette to his lips, inhaling without looking away, and Sasuke wordlessly found his eyes drawn to the action like a magnet. There was no reasonable explanation as to why he felt that way, but the fascination made him feel both uneasy and relaxed. How that was possible he had no idea, but something in the back of his mind told him that he liked watching Naruto's gestures.

And Naruto had said he was good-looking. Was that even supposed to make him feel happy?

_And I said that he was good-looking, too. Why did I even say something like that about another guy?_

Frowning, Sasuke felt his breath catch when Naruto's lips parted so he could expel the smoke from his lungs and, once again, Sasuke found himself a bit mesmerized by the action. He felt his hands clench over his lap as his eyes travelled upwards, to Naruto's intense ones.

So, yeah, maybe Naruto _was_ attractive, now that Sasuke considered it. His features were correct and showed an honesty and an openness that drew people to him. Those big eyes of his were of the deepest sapphire-blue he had ever seen, and his smile was contagious. His golden hair looked like it had never seen a comb, but it suited him, giving him a rebellious look that made him even more approachable, if that was even possible. He was also well built; gesticulated a lot, made lots of different (and interesting) expressions and his voice had so many different tones it was baffling.

Right now, he looked almost calculating, and it made him look mature and nonchalantly seductive, even.

_Seductive?_

_Okay, so that's probably why._

Sasuke didn't even understand why he was observing Naruto in such a meticulous way, and it confused the hell out of him. Why Naruto would look at him like that unless it was purposeful was also something that confused him. Or, maybe, Naruto was unaware of himself and Sasuke, not being all that used to him, was misinterpreting it.

_Yeah, that's probably it._

Naruto looked pretty heterosexual to him. He sometimes mentioned previous girlfriends, too, so maybe it was just his unusual openness that felt weird to an anti-social person like Sasuke.

Still, it was a bit intimidating, but interesting at the same time.

Why it would make Sasuke blush, he had no clue, so he decided that fishing out his mobile phone and entertaining himself might just be a good idea. Just as he was pushing all thoughts of Naruto aside and had started a game of 'Candy Crush', he felt his co-worker lean over him. It wasn't normal the way Sasuke's heart skipped a beat at the proximity, but then again, Naruto's lips were almost making contact with his ear, breathing gently over his sensitive skin.

"I'm glad you have a dirty mouth on you..." the blond whispered, in a way that indicated he was smirking. "I _really_ like it."

Sasuke forced himself to keep calm. He usually knew how to measure his words, but once in a while, his temper took over him and he tended to be snappish. It wasn't that he was annoyed, he just didn't like not understanding exactly what was going on and when, or why, the atmosphere had suddenly changed between them because of some stupid topic.

"Shut up, idiot, or I'll start thinking you really _are_ flirting with me," he snapped back in an equally low voice, not looking away from his game.

Naruto chuckled in his ear, still abnormally close, and Sasuke had to try his very best not to shiver. "So what if I am?"

Sasuke's head turned to the side so quickly his nose almost bumped into Naruto's. For a few seconds, Sasuke was a bit overwhelmed by the reality of how close their faces were, but then he noticed Naruto's eyes were amused and his own defiance didn't allow him to move away. He promptly ignored the distinct part of his brain kept flashing red warning lights everywhere.

"_Are_ you?" he inquired back, firmly but still lowly, so that only Naruto heard.

More than he could see, he could sense Naruto's smirk becoming nastier.

"You got a problem with that?" was his retort, and it made Sasuke's heart beat slightly faster as an impeding wave of irritation rushed through him. And then, he realized it wasn't irritation at all – it was excitement.

"That depends on whether you're serious or not," Sasuke countered.

"Huh," Naruto mumbled thoughtfully, eyes clearly trying to read Sasuke's. "It doesn't really matter, does it?" he leaned away considerably, his smile becoming softer now, all traces of that intense alluring aura dissipating. He offered Sasuke a teasing but playful wink. "After all, Uchiha-san is a respectable married man. To me, you could never be more than a beloved brother."

There were so many things wrong with that sentence Sasuke didn't even know how to interpret it.

"Right," he said dully, just as Naruto smashed what was left of his cigarette on the ashtray. When the blond looked at him again, he was already grinning brightly.

"Don't look so serious, dude, I'm just messing with you!" he said, punching Sasuke's arm lightly. "Live a little, will you?"

For some reason, Sasuke was upset. With what, he didn't really know, but he found it immensely difficult to return his friend's easy smile. Naruto seemed to notice this, because he finally took a few gulps of his own beer before fishing out his own mobile phone, saying "Gimme your phone number! That way we can text each other so we can get together even outside of work."

"… Sure…"

They exchanged phone numbers, and then Naruto got involved in his colleagues' conversation, which now was about an upcoming festival Genma would be participating in, since, apparently, he was a guitar player for some band. Sasuke didn't really pay much attention to it, only offering a couple of words just to not be left out, and also because he wanted Naruto to see that he was making an effort at socializing.

However, he felt disgusted at himself at the amount of effort it took not to glance at the blond more often thant what should be acceptable. He also found it extremely hard to tune out Naruto's words, even if he did say he was just 'messing around'.

Maybe Sasuke wasn't supposed to feel slightly offended. Maybe he wasn't supposed to feel disheartened. He knew some men made gay jokes with each other for fun, but Sasuke wasn't exactly the kind of person who understood why anyone would joke about such things in the first place if there was no emotional or physical reason behind it. No-one simply flirted because they felt like it, with no second intentions. Or maybe it was Sasuke who was way too serious to take such things lightly.

He sighed, not understanding the conflicting emotions making his blood boil. He didn't want to think about it.

When Naruto asked him to see what kind of music he had in his iPod, Sasuke lent it to him and they checked the bands, singers and albums together. Knowing that Naruto loved most of the bands he loved, made him feel content for some reason.

Maybe Sasuke was just closed-minded. He had to stop being silly and simply enjoy the other male's company. Which he did, immensely so. He even enjoyed the way their arms were pressed against each other after Naruto had moved his chair closer so they could listen to some jams.

There was nothing wrong with that. So what if he and Naruto got along and Naruto liked to tease him? It wasn't like he had liked it when things had felt so awkward, so it was all good.

Besides, Naruto was a _guy_. The first guy Sasuke had ever found attractive, but a guy nonetheless. Maybe Naruto was bisexual or something, but such things didn't matter to Sasuke. As long as he kept his distance it was all good. _Sexual_ distance, that is. If he behaved, Sasuke was fine with them being close like they were at that moment.

So, maybe those little games had only served to upset Sasuke and make him more curious about Naruto.

And there was absolutely _nothing_ wrong with that. Two people were supposed to want to know about each other, if they wanted to become friends, right?

_Right._

And there was nothing wrong with that. And that little detail about Sasuke admitting him to be good-looking? No big deal. No big deal at all.

_One day at the time with Naruto_, Sasuke decided. That was the safest option for him, and he felt that, he didn't follow it, he might become overwhelmed.

TBC…

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**_Ttracee:_**_ Yeah, I really wanted the fact that Sasuke is married to come as a shock. I actually wondered if I should drop the bomb later on, but the effect would always be the same in the plot, so it didn't really matter. I'm glad you're finding the story interesting so far ;)_

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**Don't forget to review! :D**


	4. Chapter Four: Flirt With Me - Part II

**A/N: **I was going to add Karin to this chapter, but then thought against it because the scene will fit better later on.

Next chapter is almost finished and will be published until Sunday, unless something happens and I can't.

Not betaed for the time being.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Four: Flirt With Me – Part II**

After the successful bonding with Naruto's fellow Music teachers, the blond kept pestering Sasuke about how they should go out, just the two of them, to hang out and get to know each other better. Sasuke thought it was a good idea, since it wasn't like he had much to do when he wasn't working, and frankly, he had yet to spend more than ten minutes alone with his new friend so they could talk to each other properly.

However, two weeks had passed before the two finally managed to have some time to do said 'hanging out'. Sasuke didn't like going out when Karin was having a day off, because he worked during the week and had the weekend off while she rarely had days off during that time, working in shifts and all that. They rarely had a whole day together, and to make up for it, Sasuke tried his best to always be present when she was home unless it was unavoidable.

Still, Sasuke had joined his fellow teachers after work frequently after that first time, even if only for half an hour. He enjoyed being around them, even when they talked about stupid stuff, or chose topics he had no clue about – it made him feel like he somehow belonged, and they treated him like one of them.

The other teachers seemed to look at the group of five and think of them as a bunch of eccentric weirdoes, Sasuke knew, the only exception being, maybe, Naruto, but that was only because, somehow, he managed to make_ everybody_ love him.

So, on a Tuesday afternoon, Sasuke found himself catching the packed subway next to an ecstatic and cheery Naruto as they made their way to wherever it was that the blond was taking them. They ended up at some kind of fancy beer parlor that looked very rustic, all decorated in tones of brown and gold. It reminded Sasuke of a pub, but a very nice, refined and _expensive_ one. The blond had said he'd pay for everything in spite of Sasuke's protests, but he was already starting to feel guilty about agreeing because, surely, Naruto's wallet would weep for weeks after that.

They sat on a high leathered stool at an equally high wooden table at a corner near the bar. They settled in before Naruto went to get them the much acclaimed beers (he had been praising the place ever since they made their way there) while Sasuke appreciated his surroundings. Tracy Chapman's voice could be heard in the background, and Sasuke found it appropriate and welcoming.

Not even two minutes later, Naruto arrived with two large clay cups of beer. After setting them down, he left again only to return carrying a small plate of lupines in one hand, and a plate of several differently seasoned peanuts in the other.

The blue-eyed man seemed particularly smug when Sasuke admitted he was impressed.

They chatted casually as they ate and drank. They talked about everything, and the topics kept changing as fast as the speed of light, which was, in Sasuke's point of view, pretty impressive. Most people usually ran out of things to talk about at some point, but Naruto always had something to say and questions to ask, it seemed.

Sasuke got to know a lot of things he didn't know about him, as well. Like, how Naruto was an orphan and how he'd had a tough childhood because of it, since he had spent most of it in foster care before his Godfather (Naruto's father's mentor) could afford to adopt him. Jiraya, Naruto had said, was a good man, but very perverted and liked to live extravagantly, spending money on women and booze. His best friend, Tsunade (and Naruto's Godmother) suffered from similar issues, minus the women issue and the perverted side, but eventually the two had found a way to win his guardianship when he was twelve, and both had dedicated their lives to take care of him from then on.

Naruto spoke about them fondly and didn't seem very sad about his childhood before being under their care, but he seemed eager to know about Sasuke's family as well, so Sasuke indulged him. He told him about his parents and about his older brother, Itachi, who worked abroad and whom he rarely saw these days. Naruto seemed to understand the sudden heavy mood that settled between them after that, so he immediately and effectively changed the topic and they started talking about their plans for the summer.

Two hours, three beers and lots of snacks later, Sasuke felt considerably more relaxed than he had in a long time, and even his tongue seemed to be a lot looser. Of course, that might've been because their legs kept touching accidentally – or not – under the table and they kept kicking each other softly in a way that probably wasn't very normal. Or was it? Sasuke couldn't remember being playful with his friends this way, ever. He tried to remember a time when he had done something like this and his mind immediately replayed a scene where he and Neji had been sixteen and had kicked each other so hard they had bruises for weeks. As for Sakura, she was currently way over her crush on him, but back then he would have never ever attempted such a feat as leg touching or she might have the wrong impression. Even today, Sasuke thought, with a mental snort, he wouldn't dare in fear that she'd revert back to creepy-stalker!Sakura.

However, at this point Sasuke didn't feel uncomfortable at all with the affair his and Naruto's legs were having under the table, and that should've freaked him out, even if just a little bit. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't exactly used to having this much alcohol in such a short amount of time, so it seemed appropriate that he'd blame it all on the beer.

"So, are you gay?" Sasuke ended up asking bravely at some point, munching on some chips Naruto had brought a few minutes previously. "Or bi, or... something of the sort?"

"What if I am?" Naruto countered, grinning as he reached out between them to grab for some peanuts with honey. "What makes you ask?"

"It's not a big deal, I'm just curious," Sasuke replied honestly, shrugging even though he found his eyes clued to Naruto's expression in search of something. "I mean, you mentioned you had girlfriends, but you look like someone who is very open-minded."

Naruto barked out a laugh and shook his head from side to side.

"I'm straight," he said simply, chewing on his peanuts. "I mean, it's not like I've ever really been in a situation where I had to wonder about my personal tastes, you know?" he picked up a napkin and cleaned his hands, offering Sasuke a lopsided smirk that was also slightly strained. "But I guess... I kind of value love more than what's supposed to be right or wrong. I haven't been very lucky so far, so I suppose I can't be very picky."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow upwards, noticing the subtle change of mood.

"I suppose," he agreed, patting the salt from his hands. "Why cut your chances in half when you can have the whole world to choose from, right?"

Naruto chuckled.

"Something like that," he said. "I say this because lately I've been thinking that, if I were to find someone that matches me perfectly, I wouldn't mind if it was a guy at all. It wouldn't really bother me." Naruto placed his elbow on the table and rested his cheek on his fist, looking at Sasuke almost solemnly. "To be honest, there are so many things that can be more troublesome than that."

"Like what?"

"Like the person being committed," Naruto blurted out. It wasn't like he had, at first glance, meant anything by it, but somehow, Sasuke felt that impending tension starting to build up as a nagging feeling that the sentence was directed at him took over him. Why that would be he had no idea. But then, Naruto blushed as if realizing he had said something inappropriate and added "Among other things."

They looked at each other for a few seconds. Naruto's eyes seemed to be glued to Sasuke's, that deep blush still painting his cheeks and he was now biting his lip. He didn't seem uncomfortable, but Sasuke couldn't read his expression, which was weird considering Naruto wore his emotions on his sleeve.

Sasuke, for his part, was finding the tension rather entertaining for some reason. He was already used to Naruto's teasing, and the subdued flirting seemed to be a constant. Sasuke reckoned it was a part of Naruto's personality that he only showed to people he was comfortable with, so he had started to not think too much of it, and sometimes, he even played along. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a certain rush because of it, or that he didn't feel immensely pleased by Naruto's reactions.

Sasuke reached for his pack of cigarettes and grabbed it. He offered one to Naruto, who silently helped himself before taking one for himself. They had gained the habit of lighting each other's cigarettes, and this was Sasuke's turn, it seemed, so he moved to light Naruto's – since the round table was relatively small – bringing the flame close to the tip. Naruto grabbed his wrist to – unnecessarily – steady it, and inhaled. Sasuke enjoyed the contact, and he found some secret fascination in how oddly intimate the action seemed to be between them. Once he was done, he released him so Sasuke could light his own cigarette.

"How about you?" Naruto replied, now in a more casual tone, eyeing Sasuke attentively. "You're married to a woman, so I take it you're straight?"

"Yeah," Sasuke nodded, resting his elbows over the edge of the table, returning the firm look. "I mean, like you, I never really had to confront my sexuality like that, but I always dated girls. Although, if I have to be honest, I only started dating at 17. Up until that point, no-one had interested me like that. My brother suggested that I might be asexual, and I honestly believed that that might be it."

Naruto seemed immensely interested. "So, what changed?" he asked.

"I forced myself to initiate my sexual life," Sasuke answered, scoffing at the memory. "I thought that it would change if I understood the appeal of sex and of being intimate with another person." At his friend's surprised expression, he proceeded. "It kind of worked, but I was always difficult to please. I always had girls fawning all over me, but it was hard for me to get involved without feelings. It's hard for me to get attached, even today. Once in a while, someone out of this world manages to make a difference, but it's a rare occurrence."

A contemplative silence seemed to settle between them, and Naruto seemed to have yet to want to let go of that solemn mood he had immersed himself in.

"You have a tiny heart, without room for a lot of people," he said slowly after a while, nodding in understanding. "There's nothing wrong with that, it only means that you'll cherish more the people who you _do_ like." He exhaled a bit of smoke before pressing his right hand to the left side of his chest. "_This_ heart has room for _everybody_, which kind of sucks. It sometimes has room even for people who don't have a place for _me_. Know what I mean?"

Sasuke shook his head from side to side. It seemed impossible to him that someone like Naruto could feel so under loved when he seemed to reach everybody's hearts so accurately.

"I'm sure everybody has a place for someone like you," he replied carefully, offering the blond a small smile. "Maybe not the kind of spot you want, though."

Naruto smiled as well.

"You are capable of saying nice things once in a while," he said, smashing the rest of his cigarette on the silvery ashtray. Sasuke couldn't help but notice that he spent more time holding his cancer sticks than to actually smoking them. "I'm gonna go take a trip to the men's room and then I'll get us another beer!"

Sasuke watched him get up and head towards the restrooms with quick steps.

Heaving a deep sigh, he made a face. Even if he didn't want to acknowledge it, there was definitely something different between them, and even though the new found atmosphere that settled sometimes was interesting, he couldn't deny that, exciting as it may be, it was also intimidating. What the hell was he doing, saying things to Naruto he had never thought about saying to anyone else? Maybe this teasing thing was a bit too much. They were both guys after all, they probably shouldn't feel this comfortable around each other, least of all _act_ upon it.

Yet, there had to be something wrong with him, because he knew he wasn't supposed to enjoy any of this on such an intimate level, but the more time passed, the more he felt drawn to Naruto and the more he wanted to test the waters. For what, he wasn't sure. All of this was completely new to him – his own reactions were new to him. He had never interacted with another person quite like this, so there was no way he knew what to expect; from himself, and from Naruto. All the people he knew were so different from Naruto… even Karin, who had a strong personality and was all about energy had chosen a more subdued approach when they met.

By the time Naruto returned with yet another large cup of beer (the last one he'd have, Sasuke swore to himself), Sasuke had finished his cigarette and the blond seemed to have reversed back to his usual jolly mode. He politely removed all their empty plates and cups from the table and took them to the bar, surprising the bartender, who thanked him. It was a good thing that they now had more space to move their arms and hands.

"This really is a nice beer," Sasuke mused absently, after taking a large appreciative gulp on the now familiar beverage.

"Told you so!" Naruto said proudly, back to his usual enthusiastic way. He crossed his arms and rested them over the table, leaning forward a bit. His leg bumped into Sasuke's gently again, causing the raven-haired one to shift it slightly, not exactly to move away from the touch, but to be more in contact. "So, if I buy you enough of these, you think I can turn into someone out of this world in your eyes?"

What had Sasuke been thinking about not giving in to the teasing, again?

"Probably if I'm drunk enough," Sasuke ended up saying, making what he knew to be a nasty smirk and causing Naruto to pout with false offense.

"I take back what I said, you only say mean things!" he accused dramatically. "You just crushed my ego to pieces!"

"Don't be an idiot," the Uchiha retorted, rolling his eyes at him. "Besides, I'm here. Do I look like someone who'd bother if I didn't enjoy your company?"

Well, alcohol wasn't really helpful in keeping his mouth shut, it seemed. When the hell had his brain thought it was a good idea to make him speak his mind so bluntly?

"Well, I'm glad," Naruto replied, smiling softly at hearing it. "I enjoy your company as well; I think that's pretty obvious." Biting his lip, he added "I really hope we can be good friends in the future."

Sasuke couldn't really return the smile for some reason, but still said "Me too."

There, that strange, unidentified tension had just become thicker. Sasuke was kind of used to it by now, so it wasn't exactly awkward, but it did feel strange in a personal way, especially because that easy conversation from before seemed to cease entirely. The stared at each other, Naruto's blue eyes roaming over Sasuke's features as he so often did, Sasuke trying to understand why that open expression of his made his chest constrict, or why it seemed so normal to look so closely into another person's eyes for so long without wanting to look away.

Suddenly, the blonde uncrossed his arms and extended his right hand to Sasuke over the table, turning his opened palm upwards.

"Give me your hand," he requested casually.

"What for?" Sasuke inquired, eyeing said hand as if it could blow up in his face.

"Just give it to me."

Sasuke obeyed rather quickly in spite of his initial reluctance and placed his left hand over Naruto's. Rough fingers closed around his gently. Looking down, Sasuke's dark eyes watched as Naruto's thumb brushed over the back of his hand. The contact was soothing and careful, almost experimental and the feel made Sasuke's heart skip a pleasant beat. Then, said thumb moved to his fingers, brushing over each of them lightly before stopping at Sasuke's golden wedding ring. A little bewildered, the Uchiha watched as Naruto made the ring spin around his finger.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sasuke knew that this little interaction was supposed to be weird. Surely, people around them found it weird, but he had no strength to break the contact.

"I'm sorry, my hand is a bit sweaty," Naruto apologized with a small chuckle.

"It's okay," Sasuke replied absently, still looking down at their joined hands, mildly enticed by how much tanner his friend's hand was compared to his. His fingers twitched slightly at the contact, as if his nerves were on edge just because of it.

"You have gorgeous hands," Naruto said calmly, now going back to absently rubbing the rest of Sasuke's fingers again. "The hands of an artist, really, with long and slender fingers. I chew on my nails, so mine are disgusting."

Sasuke frowned. Almost as if automatically, his hand moved so his own fingers were wrapping around Naruto's hand. Turning them over so that Naruto's was on top, he stretched his fingers out and gently ran them over the palm, forcing Naruto's own fingers to stretch out. Sasuke observed the hand for a while. It wasn't like it was bigger than his, just a bit wider with thicker fingers. Definitely a man's hand, rough and strong, but the nails weren't ugly and chewed like he had expected them to be. They were quite nice, actually, short but round. Naruto had nice hands. Why Sasuke hadn't noticed it before was kind of baffling.

"They aren't disgusting," Sasuke muttered truthfully, now rubbing his palm against Naruto's. "You do have nice hands."

"Thanks."

Slowly but firmly, Naruto made his own palm slide over Sasuke's in response until their fingers were touching. His fingers teased Sasuke's, playing with them and Sasuke couldn't help but to play along, simply because it felt good, and most of all, prodigiously natural.

"I like your hands," the blond said straightforwardly, lightly scratching Sasuke's fingertips and causing a pleasant chill to run up his arm. "I like the way they feel."

Sasuke didn't answer. There was a distinct feeling that he was missing something terribly important from that scene. Somehow, he knew he shouldn't be doing this, innocent as it may seem, and, most of all, he should definitely not be enjoying it.

But he _was_. His head was pleasantly light and he was relaxed now, comfortable even, and Naruto's hand fit his just right. He liked the feeling of his skin brushing against his friend's, and there should be nothing wrong with it. But there was, he knew it, and yet, when Naruto intertwined their fingers, there was nothing Sasuke really wanted to do about it.

_How drunk __**am**__ I?_

His eyes roamed upwards to finally meet the man in front of him, only to find Naruto looking at him placidly but intensely.

_Seriously, how blue can a person's eyes be?_

Sasuke's lips parted as if he wanted to say something – what, he had no idea – but he promptly closed his mouth at seeing the other's expression.

Naruto wet his lips. Sasuke's breath got caught in his lungs.

"Is this weird?" the blond asked in a whisper, squeezing his fingers a bit. If he was talking about the amazing fact that they were holding hands or about that impeding, electrifying mood, Sasuke didn't know. In fact, he wasn't even sure he wanted to.

"I'm not sure," he answered sincerely, squeezing Naruto's fingers back.

Naruto smiled weakly.

TBC…

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Aaaand, we're not done with the flirting yet, so look forward to the next chapter, guys!

**_Unsigned review reply:_**

**_Vidi: _**_Thank you for reading, and I'm happy you like my writing style! I hope you enjoyed the chapter ;)_

**Don't forget to review! :D**


	5. Chapter Five: Flirt With Me - Part III

**A/N:** **Sorry for the delay! But I'm only two days late, guys, so don't kill me!**

**Not betaed for the time being. Sorry for the terrible typos *cries***

**I hope you like this chapter! I sure had a lot of fun writing it!**

**Thank you so much for reading and for the constant support. My faithful followers! *snuggles***

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Five: Flirt With Me – Part III**

"I've never been here at this time of the day," Sasuke observed lazily, with his hands inside the pockets of his jacket as he and Naruto strolled side by side through the local park. "It's really nice."

"I know right?" Naruto said, stretching his arms over his head and breathing in deeply the perfumed night air. With his hands linked behind his head, he offered Sasuke a goofy smile. "You have to admit it, this kind of feels like a date."

Sasuke couldn't help but snort, smirking. "Shows how much you're in need of affection if you want to call 'getting drunk' a date."

"I'm not drunk!" the blond defended, laughing. "Well, maybe just a little. But I can walk just fine, and so can you; so, we're good."

"Yes, because I'm just _a little_ drunk, as well," Sasuke agreed. Although, if he were to be honest with himself, he couldn't remember a time when he had felt so unbalanced and lightheaded, but he was proud of himself for being able to keep his composure and, yes, walk a straight line, even if it took a lot of effort on his part.

They were reaching the large central lake and, for a moment, Sasuke enjoyed the reflection of the streetlamps over the water from a distance. The view dulled a bit as they got closer, but it was still a rather peaceful scenario, especially since it was so quiet.

"Let's sit over there for a while," Naruto said, gesturing towards a green irony bench right in front of the lake. Even though they had spent most of the time sitting down, Sasuke was actually thankful for the suggestion because he felt like he seriously needed to rest and properly enjoy some fresh air if he wanted to be able to get home sober enough.

They both slumped down gracelessly on the bench in spite of Sasuke's failed attempt to be a little more elegant about it. As soon as his rear met the cold surface, he leaned back, only then noticing just how tired but satisfied he felt. It seemed like it had been far too long since he had managed to just chill out and not worry about a thing. And it had been a while since he lad last seen the night sky so clear and starry. It was almost like a fantasy movie, Sasuke mused, where everything looked more beautiful than real life. The earthy scents around him also helped him to feel like he was in another dimension altogether.

"Ah, this feels awesome," Naruto said after a long sigh, coincidentally voicing Sasuke's thoughts and leaning back as well while casually stretching his arm along the back of the bench, behind Sasuke. "I haven't felt this carefree in a while."

"I wouldn't have guessed," Sasuke retorted sarcastically.

"Bastard," the blond muttered in a clearly affectionate way, looking at him. Then, he turned to Sasuke suddenly, tucking a leg underneath him, and leaned a bit closer. "Hey, Sasuke, what are your plans for the future?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet," the dark-haired one said as he ran a hand through his hair. "I tend to only think about the right now. But I guess I'd like to find another job, one where I feel happier, I suppose."

Naruto stuck his bottom lip out. "And you'd leave little old' me all alone?"

"You did fine without me before you even knew I existed," Sasuke pointed out, tilting his head to the side and quirking up an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but it's different now," Naruto replied, sincerely.

"How so?"

At that, Naruto merely shrugged. "What else?" he then asked.

"I supposed I'd like to travel. Or..." Sasuke leaned his head back so he could gaze at the dark sky above. "Maybe move to another country and find a good job there?"

"What, you don't want kids?" Naruto inquired, giving him a lopsided grin.

"Not anytime soon, _no_," Sasuke replied, with emphasis. "We're still too young and I'm probably at a stage where I'm still too selfish to be a parent. There's still a lot I want to do before taking such a step."

"Yeah, I can totally understand that," the blond muttered, with a small nod.

"What about you?" Sasuke asked, turning his face to the other male with curiosity. "Any plans for the future?"

"Well, I'd like to have my own band someday and become famous," Naruto said, quietly but causally. Sasuke felt something tingling at the back of his head and realized his friend was touching his hair. The action was simple and cautious, just a brush of fingers through the strands, but for the life of him, Sasuke couldn't understand why Naruto would do it. Then again, there had been no apparent reason for them to have held hands either – and they had practically spent the remaining time at the parlor doing it – so Sasuke merely watched the other's face closely and allowed the ministration in silence. "I also want to fall in love. I haven't been very lucky, so far, as I already told you. I think I'm kind of misunderstood no matter who I'm with."

With narrowed eyes, Sasuke watched Naruto's attentive ones as cold fingers started travelling lower until the tips were brushing over the back of his neck. Sasuke repressed a shudder at how pleasurable it felt, instead staring into Naruto's bright eyes, the ones that seemed to be watching his every move almost as if wanting to absorb his image, and it never ceased to amaze the Uchiha just how much he enjoyed simply looking back and creating an atmosphere that was just theirs, so unlike anything else he had ever experienced.

Okay, so maybe this was a bit weird, Sasuke thought at some point. It was also weird that he was enjoying being touched like that.

"I sometimes wonder if I ever been truly in love with someone," Naruto proceeded, for some unknown reason, moving closer to Sasuke. "Or if I've been dating people so I don't feel lonely."

"Somehow you don't seem like the kind of person capable of being intimate with someone you don't have feelings for," Sasuke said, his voice faltering ever so slightly as he realized they were somehow way too close for comfort. So close, in fact, that Naruto's chest was pressed against his arm. He hadn't even realized it as it happened, but they found themselves with their mouths mere inches away from each other. Sasuke could feel Naruto's warm breath ghosting over his lips.

"I guess you're right," Naruto acknowledged, and when he nodded, his nose brushed over Sasuke's.

The proximity made Sasuke's muscles clench and the air feel thick with something akin to electricity. When Naruto's fingers dared to caress the skin underneath the edge of the collar of his sweater, Sasuke couldn't help but feel excited, because, as a man, this was all very new to him. It made his head feel fuzzy, and Naruto's natural, not-so-subtle move on him was oddly arousing.

_Move?_ Naruto was making a move on him?

_Wait... he's trying to seduce me, isn't he?_

The thought created a wave of both lust and panic to rush through him as his heart sped up.

"It's so weird," Naruto mused, barely whispering, somehow getting even closer until their mouths were so dangerously close one false move and something bad would happen. "We barely know each other, but I feel like I've known you my entire life. And we're two, very different people, but I know we understand each other." Sasuke's breath got caught in his throat as Naruto moved his hand again, now to the curve of his neck, thumb coming up to brush over Sasuke's jaw. "I wish I had met you years ago. Still, I'm glad I met you now rather than never. I never thought I'd ever like someone this much."

That's when Sasuke realized exactly what was wrong with that picture – Naruto wasn't moving anymore, his hand becoming still as if fearing that he might scare him away. And just like that, he understood the situation he was in and that the blond was giving him a choice. Lean forward and fill the distance between them, or move away. Really, the options were simple, the question was: what did _Sasuke_ want to do? Because Naruto was _waiting_.

Swallowing hard, Sasuke blinked a few times feeling his mouth watering unexpectedly. It wasn't like he had ever considered something like this, and yet, now that he was in such a situation, he found that all he could think about was how good Naruto's hand felt on his skin and just how good he smelled. His heart clenched in anticipation. The tension was exhilarating and pushed him towards the other man like an untamed force. He felt things he had never felt before.

Did he _want_ to do it?

There was heat radiating from Naruto's mouth; it was more than inviting, and Sasuke understood that, yes, he did want it like he never wanted anything in his life. His brain was too confused so he couldn't find a reasonable explanation for it, but he didn't want to, anyway.

Realizing this felt to Sasuke as if frozen water had been dropped all over him.

_Wait, what?_

There was a new found weight on his knee, and as he realized it was Naruto's other hand, he swallowed hard again, feeling feverish.

He did want to... _kiss_ Naruto, didn't he? he thought, torn between fear, eagerness and an anxiety he couldn't quite place. That's what he really wanted to do, right? Those strong feelings towards his friend, the impulse to just let go and do it without thinking about anything else. That's what _Naruto_ wanted him to do, clearly.

He felt Naruto licking his own lips, and the action caused his tongue to brush ever so lightly over Sasuke's bottom lip for the briefest second before retracting, making Sasuke release a small moan. There was no doubt in his mind about it; he wanted it badly. He wasn't sure where that need had come from, but it existed, it was real, and helpless as it made him feel, there was nothing he could do about it.

_Wrong answer, Sasuke_, a nagging voice in the back of his head reproached. _This is not how it's supposed to go and you know it. You can still back out._

The sudden pull Naruto had on him was powerful, and Sasuke wasn't sure if he'd react the same way had he been sober, but right now, everything seemed pretty irresistible. Basically, that was all he could focus on.

_This is not something you're supposed to do!_

Somehow, he knew this, but his body seemed intent on ignoring his consciousness altogether, because he had already twisted his body so he was facing Naruto.

_This is not good..._

Vaguely, he acknowledged that the pull was, in fact 'attraction', but that was as far as his mind dared to go and he didn't want to think about anything else.

He was aware of Naruto whispering out his name as Sasuke's hand moved on its own so it was now cupping the blonde's cheek, allowing itself to caress it ever so gently and making Naruto sigh sweetly. That kind of reaction gave Sasuke a sense of thrill. Fuck, he really, _really_ couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. The only reason why he hadn't acted before was because some twisted part of him was thoroughly enjoying the tension way too much.

Placing his free hand over Naruto's on his knee, Sasuke parted his lips, sensing as the other did the same and leaned in just a tiny bit, slowly, knowing that there wasn't all that much space left for them to fill, knowing that it would take less than a second for his muscles to unclench and for that impending need to be quelled.

Naruto held his breath in anticipation just as Sasuke finally managed to brush his opened lips over the blonde's, barely touching them.

Suddenly, something vibrated in his pocket before 'Don't Stop' by Fleetwood Mac filled the air, startling both him and Naruto.

It was like being punched in the face and not knowing why, only for Sasuke it was the moment when he truly realized what he had been about to do, causing his world of blissful oblivion to shatter all around him, like waking up from a dream to a nightmarish reality.

As if electrocuted, Sasuke jumped out of his seat, stumbling a bit because of the dizzying adrenaline he was still experiencing and clumsily removed his mobile phone from his pocket. His back was to Naruto as he picked up the call, his heart hammering so strongly inside his chest it made him feel sick.

"Yes?"

Recognizing Karin's voice made his stomach churn unpleasantly. He brought a slightly shaky hand to his mouth, barely registering what his wife was saying to him, his brain completely shaken with the shock of what he had almost done.

He had been just about tokiss Naruto... he almost _kissed_ him. What the hell was he _thinking_?

"Yeah... no, I'm still with Naruto," he replied, trying his best to keep his voice as casual as possible even though it seemed so terribly wrong to speak the other male's name out loud. "Everything's great."

He wasn't even listening what was being said to him, but his brain just seemed very efficient in understanding the words and making him reply accordingly.

"No, I just had a few beers, but I'm fine."

He looked over his shoulder to see that Naruto hadn't moved from his position, only now he seemed to be looking at the available seat Sasuke had previously occupied as if bewildered and, to Sasuke's despair, mortified. At seeing it, Sasuke was violently assaulted by a wave of anguishing longing as his body chose to deeply resent the lack of Naruto's presence invading his personal space, touching his neck, the comforting weight of his hand on his knee…

Sasuke felt painful pang in his heart and looked away, to the lake, his own fingers touching his lips now where, strangely, he could still feel the feathery brush of the blonde's.

_Nonononononononono, _his brain chanted, in horror. _This is so fucked up..._

"Sure, I will," he replied, closing his eyes and trying to steady his quick breathing. "You too. I'll text you as soon as I get home. Take care."

Hanging up, Sasuke let the hand holding his mobile phone fall limply at his side. Opening his eyes, he blinked several times towards the lake, not really seeing anything and willing his anxiousness away.

Only then did he realize that it was deadly quiet. No sound could be heard apart from the rustling of trees as the gentle nightly breeze blew.

What now? There was no way such a situation could be mistaken for something else. How was he supposed to face Naruto? What was he supposed to do, to say, when all he wanted to do was run and never look back, and simply disappear from the face of the earth?

Sensing movement behind him, he couldn't control the shiver that shook his whole body. Moved by some kind of instinct, Sasuke turned around quickly to see that Naruto was now standing, hands shoved inside his pockets. His expression was excruciatingly unfamiliar to Sasuke, who could merely look at him with eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Blue eyes were looking straight into his, and they were sparkling like jewels, but the expression in them was somber and serious. He looked taller; older, too.

That person, Sasuke thought in horror and fascination, now biting on his lower lip, was the person who had taken him out of his comfort zone and made him want to do things he had never thought about doing, ever. He hadn't even seen it coming, and it made him feel unavoidably small. He wanted nothing more than to do something to make Naruto smile at him reassuringly again, to make him feel like everything was alright. If they had kissed, would Naruto still give him that… that _fucking_ look like he was angry and disappointed at him?

Something inside Sasuke wondered about what would happen if he moved now and finished what he started. But he knew he wouldn't do it, and so did Naruto. Something had been broken just then, at the same time that something had been consistently built – what, Sasuke couldn't tell, but the fact that Naruto still looked hauntingly alluring to him was enough to make him literally take a step back, towards safety and towards what he knew to be the right thing to do.

That seemed enough of a silent answer to Naruto, whose expression changed completely. Sasuke watched as those handsome, open features revealed anger, guilt, desire and – to the Uchiha's consternation – sadness. All of it was directed at Sasuke, who had no idea how to feel about it or how to respond.

"I…" he stuttered, his voice coming out raspy and way too weak for his liking. "I should go."

Naruto pressed his lips together in a thin line and breathed deeply through his nose, looking upset, probably more at himself than at Sasuke. "It's getting late," he ended up saying, not sounding like his usual self at all. "I'll take you to the train station."

Sasuke wanted nothing more than to tell him that it was fine, that he didn't have to. He wanted to be as far from Naruto as he could, but they both had to catch the subway, so it'd be weird if they didn't go together.

They didn't talk at all during the subway ride, which was both awkward and relieving, but that easy companionship seemed to have disappeared completely. Sasuke kept tensing up, and Naruto made no move to be unnecessarily close like he usually did. They would either avoid eye contact altogether or simply stare at each other almost without blinking, but no word would ever be uttered.

The blond really meant it when he said he'd take Sasuke to the train station. Sasuke didn't understand why bother when he could've simply stayed on the train and head straight home. Still, he couldn't find the will to protest, because, for some reason, it was comforting to know that Naruto wasn't simply going to part ways with him after what happened. Whatever _that_ was.

So Naruto kept him company as Sasuke waited for his train. They both lit their own cigarettes for the first time. When said transportation arrived, they stood in front of each other as if they wanted to say something. Sasuke sure did, but he had no idea what he wanted – no, _needed_ – to say.

To his credit, Naruto seemed equally at loss for words, completely helpless, which made Sasuke feel less lost, less alone in all of this. Maybe it was all as confusing for Naruto as it was for him.

With a wave of his hand, Sasuke bid his goodbyes and boarded the train, Naruto waving back dispassionately. The blond didn't move from his place as Sasuke found a seat by the window so he could see the outside, where Naruto's blue eyes, alive and so fiery, found his. They looked at each other attentively, both not daring to break the contact that seemed so important, so crucial, and Sasuke eagerly absorbed Naruto's figure until the train started to move and he could no longer follow Naruto's gaze. By the time he could no longer see the other male, he allowed his body to release some of the painful tension in his muscles as he leaned forward and buried his face in his hands.

Just what the hell had happened? He was married, he loved his wife, he had no doubt about it, and yet, he had almost kissed his co-worker, who was a _man_.

He should've seen it coming, he reprimanded himself, releasing a shaky breath. All of that flirting, those casual touches, the way Naruto looked at him… he should've seen it coming from miles ago.

But Naruto had said that he was straight, hadn't he? Sasuke never gave him any reason to lie, and truthfully, he didn't look gay or anything of the sort. But then again, Sasuke had never felt attracted to another male, and yet, he had been more than willing to kiss the living lights out of his friend not even half an hour ago.

_Attracted…_

_I'm… _

_Attracted to that moron…_

That explained a lot of his feelings towards Naruto. The fact that he had mistaken it for something else made him feel thoroughly stupid.

When had it started? Why? Why was he feeling this way towards someone he barely knew? Granted, he felt like he and Naruto had the sort of easy relationship that made them feel like they had always known each other, but still.

He was married, for fuck's sake. Happily married, too, and there was nothing that could possibly justify him feeling attracted to someone else. Nothing. He wasn't unhappy, he didn't lack love or affection… apart from his work, he was a fulfilled man.

So why was this happening _now_?

If Naruto's actions were any indication, the attraction thing wasn't a one-sided thing at all. Maybe Naruto had felt it before he did. No, Naruto had definitely been aware of his feelings all along, and by indulging him, Sasuke had fueled them unintentionally.

He inhaled sharply, only then detecting a familiar scent coming from his hands – Naruto's simple but identifiable cologne. It must've passed onto to his skin when they had held hands, and now it was all over his palms, taunting him, haunting him even after he and Naruto had parted.

He could remember the feel of Naruto's fingers playing with his, caressing his, the way Naruto smiled at him, that fucking heat that radiated from his body that seemed to consume him. He could still feel Naruto's thumb on his jaw, that tiny flicker of his tongue over his lip...

Sasuke cringed, angry at himself and disgusted, but still didn't stop himself for taking another conscious whiff so he could smell that comforting scent again.

_Shit…_

He felt like he wanted to cry, but instead simply let out a pitiful groan of misery.

What now?

TBC…

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_**GUEST: **__Poor Naruto, he hasn't done anything yet and already you call him a home wrecker? xD I'm not sure exactly where I've written that this is a SasuNaru… I don't really like to establish roles in my fics, I don't believe in NaruSasu or SasuNaru, I just like them together. Even if I do write smut where one of them tops, I'll make sure to specify that they switch. As far as the story goes, I'm still testing their dynamics. Thank you for reading, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story! As for Naruto singing for Sasuke… that might just happen at some point, we'll see ;)_

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**Just a hint… next chapter will be called "Naruto's Feelings". Curious much? ;)**

**Review? Pretty please?**


	6. Chapter Six: Naruto's Feelings - Part I

**A/N:** Not betaed for the time being.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Six: Naruto's Feelings – Part I**

To say that Sasuke was on edge the next day was an understatement. After having spent the previous night awake with his mind filled with thoughts of Naruto, he had dragged himself to work that afternoon with his heart in his hands and wishing for nothing more than to have stayed in bed all day with his head buried in his pillow.

That same morning Karin had noticed that something was off with him, but he had dismissed it as him not having slept properly, which wasn't exactly a lie. She had blamed it all on all the alcohol he had consumed, and Sasuke didn't bother to correct her.

In a way, he supposed he should be relieved that it was Naruto's day off, because he wasn't sure about how he was going to face him after everything that had happened. It was all too fresh in Sasuke's mind, and honestly, he had no idea what was going to become of his relationship with the blond from then on.

Staying up all night thinking things over had definitely helped Sasuke to come to some sort of basic understanding of himself as far as his feelings for Naruto were concerned, and he wasn't happy about it. He kept looking to the side, where his wife slept soundly beside him, and each and every time, something made him ache inside. That kind of pain was unknown to him and he didn't know how to interpret it or what caused it.

He knew he loved Karin from the bottom of his heart. Even though she had had a crush on him since they had met, she had been a good friend and gave herself the chance of getting to know him before confessing her feelings for him. More than that, she had allowed Sasuke to get to know her as well and understand if he wanted to give her a chance or not, unlike other girls he had met. She was reliable, easy to get along with – much like Naruto – but also had a feisty personality that made her bluntly honest, and that was something Sasuke appreciated. So Sasuke had accepted her feelings and they had started a relationship.

They had moved slowly but consistently, both adapting to each other's personalities, and things had been surprisingly good. She was smart, good-looking (albeit a bit eccentric) and his family loved her. Eventually, what was a relationship based on friendship had grown so much that Sasuke found himself caring enough to realize that that was probably his ideal relationship. Even the intimacy was just perfect for his standards. Karin had probably wanted things to move faster, but at the same time, she had wanted him to want to be with her, so when the desire finally came, Sasuke didn't really stop it and it only made everything even better.

They had been dating for three years before deciding to get married. It wasn't like Sasuke had proposed, but then again, Karin hadn't either. They had both been in college back then and resented the time their studies forced them apart. They had talked about it and about moving in together but made no plans until her family offered to pay for the marriage papers. When some wealthy aunt of Karin's had said she'd help them purchase an apartment, it seemed like things were looking up to them.

Not even once did Sasuke wonder if that was what he really wanted. Never did it cross his mind that Karin might not be the one for him, because after so many failed relationships – be it with supposed friends or lovers – she made sense, and he _had_ come to love her dearly. That sense of fulfillment and accomplishment was something he never thought he'd feel in his life.

It wasn't like being with Naruto was the same. They barely knew each other, even if the empathy they shared made Sasuke feel otherwise. Naruto was a guy, and in spite of how well they got along, or how much they understood each other, Sasuke knew that they were very different from each other, and that they sometimes frustrated each other because of it. It was something that hadn't manifested itself through more than casual, good-natured banter, but that Sasuke felt that the shit might hit the fan once he or Naruto decided to voice it in a slightly less polite way.

Not that this scared him, no, and it definitely wasn't something that made him dislike Naruto, because this openness they shared was something Sasuke enjoyed. He wasn't afraid of being himself with Naruto, and he genuinely liked him as an individual. There was still so much to find out about him, too, and it baffled Sasuke that he truly wanted to know more. In fact, he wanted to know everything about Naruto.

This was all fine as long as friendship went. But then there was the other side of his interest in Naruto, where that _attraction_ thing lay, and that side was more complicated.

It hadn't started as something physical, this Sasuke knew. He and Naruto had hit it off pretty quickly, and Sasuke had almost instantaneously been drawn to the other, but only after the semi-flirting had begun did he notice Naruto's looks. He had never really bothered to properly look at other guys, but Sasuke wasn't so oblivious as to ignore when someone was good-looking, and Naruto definitely fit the category quite nicely. Although, if Sasuke were to be honest with himself, he had never had a pre-defined 'type' that pleased his eye, he just liked whatever his mind decided that he should like. And he liked Naruto's eyes very much. And his sincere smile, and the way it made little dimples appear in his cheeks. He also liked Naruto's relaxed but confident mannerisms, and even when he was feeling hesitant, there was that little thing about him that made him look absolutely _pure_ and raw. There was a strange sexiness in Naruto's demeanor that made Sasuke's heart beat faster every time he thought about it, and that little nasty smile he did when he was being mischievous was absolutely…

So, yes, there were many things that attracted him to Naruto, Sasuke acknowledged, but that was the end of it. He had a wife, he didn't know Naruto, and he wasn't going to throw his steady marriage to the trash bin for some mere infatuation. Worst of all, the object of said infatuation was a _man_. Nothing good could come out of it.

He had replayed the scene in the bench over and over again in his mind, and it always made him feel all sorts of conflicting things: aroused, curious, angry and distraught. Some part of him wanted to do it all over again, making his desire to kiss Naruto even more powerful, but another part of him felt very upset at himself for even considering doing such a thing to his wife, and even if she might never find out about it, Sasuke himself would be aware of the fact that he had cheated on her. He felt horribly guilty as it was to even think about Naruto, he couldn't imagine what it'd do to him to actually _do_ something with him.

But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do it, and that fact remained immutable.

He figured that the best he could do was to ignore it. If he ignored his feelings for Naruto, everything would be fine. Sure, Naruto had been the one to lure him (actually, it annoyed Sasuke that he wasn't pissed at Naruto for seducing him) – so he was completely to blame for Sasuke having almost kissed him – but he was aware that Sasuke was off the market, which hopefully would help put an end to their short-lived-not-really affair.

Now all Sasuke had to do was to talk to Naruto and clear everything up as soon as possible. He didn't want to lose their friendship, though, so hopefully they could simply go back to the way they were before, minus the hand-holding and the almost-kissing part.

It was easier said than done, of course. Even though Sasuke hadn't seen Naruto that Wednesday, he kept thinking about him so hard during work that he barely managed to focus on giving his lessons and ended up letting the kids off earlier so they could play outside. He realized that he really wanted to see him, too.

How was Naruto feeling? Was he angry at him? Was he hurt? Would he really be willing to let things be the way they were before?

Sasuke even thought about calling him, but decided against it because he didn't want to seem insecure and, well, desperate. Was he missing the blond all of a sudden because of what had happened? How disgusting…

But this only made his uneasiness follow him home and throughout the next day. By the time he was on his way to work on Thursday – earlier than usual – his head hurt from lack of sleep and too much nicotine in his system, and his stomach was a mess. Even his hands were shaking by the time he entered the school grounds. The impulse to flee was strong, but his need to see Naruto was stronger, so he kept his steady pace to towards the Teachers' Lounge. Once he got there, he practically slammed the door open to find that the place was mostly empty safe for Anko, Temari and, as expected, Naruto. The three looked at him with identical expressions of surprise, but while the women's changed to one that indicated they thought Sasuke was weird and crazy, Naruto simply smiled at him.

Naruto _smiled_. Normally. Warmly. _Casually. _And Sasuke almost leaned on the door for support, because he felt so absurdly relieved it seemed like all the worrying had drained him. But he was beneath such behavior, so he simply nodded to the three, set his things down on a nearby chair, and went to pour himself a cup of coffee in silence as the rest of them resumed their talking until the rest of the teachers arrived.

When the bell rang, Naruto waited for Sasuke so they could go to their respective classrooms together, and the dark-haired one felt unavoidably tense. Naruto, however, seemed… pretty much his normal self. He asked Sasuke how he was doing and how the previous day had been. Sasuke almost threw him a disgruntled look that said 'how the fuck do you think it went?', but then realized that Naruto was playing casual. Then, he took notice of the abnormal distance Naruto had placed between them – they usually would bump shoulders while walking side by side most of the times, and now, Naruto was so far from him Sasuke would only be able to touch him if he extended his arm. It didn't feel right for some reason.

Did Naruto want to pretend that nothing had happened? Was he feeling uncomfortable after everything because they were both guys who weren't supposed to actually get physical? It seemed odd that he was only realizing it now when he had been the one who started it.

In spite of himself, Sasuke replied with a simple 'fine' and looked away. Something inside of him felt annoyed that his friend was acting so casual when Sasuke himself had spent the night in psychological agony. Maybe Naruto had been drunker than he had thought and didn't remember anything. Then again, he had sounded pretty convincing and sober when he had said he liked him.

_I never thought I'd like someone this much._ Just thinking about it made Sasuke's mouth run dry and his head spin.

No, he shouldn't let his mind wonder down such paths when he had already decided the right course of action to take.

They made small talk as they made their way to their destination. Once they stopped in the middle of the hall, between both their classrooms, Naruto flashed Sasuke a shy smile and asked if he wanted to hang out after work.

Okay, so maybe Naruto was trying to keep a low profile since they were in public but wanted to talk to him later so they could work things out between them. Of course, that was it, Sasuke reasoned, feeling slightly less annoyed by the whole situation. Naruto wasn't stupid.

Sasuke agreed, still feeling both abnormally eager and nervous as he promised to wait for Naruto at the main entrance.

Needless to say that his chaotic state of mind led him to teach the days' lessons in robot mode, barely registering the confusion the kids were making around him.

At the end of the day, he and Naruto met at the appointed place and headed to a nearby caffé, smaller and less welcoming than the one they used to go to, but Sasuke couldn't care less about his surroundings, he just wanted to get things cleared out once and for all.

But things didn't really go according to plan.

The blond chatted naturally in his seat across from Sasuke, and even though nothing seemed to have changed, the distance he still established between them made a strong statement.

To Sasuke's horror, Naruto didn't mention their little incident at all, instead choosing to talk about everything he could think of just to keep the conversation going. And Sasuke didn't know if this upset him, made him feel relieved, or both.

In a way, he had wanted to talk about it, even if just to understand Naruto and his feelings towards their situation and to give the matter a proper closure. They needed to reach a consensus, but apparently Naruto thought otherwise.

Maybe he was right and they should just throw everything behind their backs and move on. Avoiding unnecessary complications was definitely for the best, and this was something Sasuke knew. After all, nothing had changed, Naruto made sure of it. He still smiled warmly, still talked openly and in that personal and affectionate way of his. Intellectually, he hadn't changed, but his physical countenance sure did. Naruto seemed to be focused on not touching Sasuke at all. Sasuke didn't really understand why it bothered him, but it did. More than that, it actually kind of hurt, especially because the intense way Naruto looked at him was still the same, only now it looked deeper, stronger than before, or maybe it was just that Sasuke himself had learned to understand what it meant.

It angered him that he could still see _that_ in Naruto's eyes. He understood Naruto's behavior to a certain extent, but that longing was still there, obvious in those expressive orbs, and the fact that Naruto was trying to ignore it by behaving differently got on Sasuke's nerves. So, what, he was attracted to Sasuke and knew it was wrong, but it was okay for him to just push it to the side, never to be mentioned again? Was it even something that easy to brush off?

But now that Sasuke thought about it, he had meant to brush it off as well, as if it had been some stupid fling. He had meant to tell Naruto that whatever it was that was happening between them had to end before it even started so they could still be friends and… well, go back to their normal lives. How hypocritical was he being, getting angered by Naruto doing exactly what Sasuke wanted him to do? More, he was making his life easier by avoiding what was sure to be an awkward conversation. Sasuke wanted to snort at himself.

He was being ridiculous, not even knowing where all those strange and confusing frustrations had come from. Sure, he had liked the touching, but what had been innocent at first had quickly escalated to become something dangerous – something Sasuke apparently had no control over. Sure, he had been slightly tipsy and very oddly aroused two days previously, but even though he was sure he could control himself quite fine while sober, caution told him it was best to keep things as simple as possible, at least until things calmed down. Surely this was all overwhelming to the blond as well.

Still, every time he looked into Naruto's eyes, his heart would flutter and his hands would twitch. His body would feel uncomfortable, as if the lack of contact, casual as it might be, made him feel misplaced in Naruto's presence. It was hard to not look at Naruto's mouth, or his gestures. It was hard to keep a straight face when Naruto's hand rested close to his over the table but never moved to touch his. Everything about their interactions had become… oddly disappointing.

But it was for the best, Sasuke convinced himself. He was married, this was all too new and he was being careless because of it. Getting carried away right now for something so fresh would certainly cause him regret later.

He liked Naruto for his personality, and that wouldn't change even if they never touched each other again. It was Naruto's friendship that mattered to him, and for Naruto, always one to speak his mind, to choose silence instead, it only meant that Sasuke mean just as much to him.

Eventually, Sasuke took a deep breath and forced himself to collect his thoughts and become resolute. Naruto noticed it because he gave a small, almost feeble smile as if silently admitting to knowing what Sasuke was feeling and trying to offer some kind of comfort. In a way, Sasuke did feel comforted, and yet, it took everything he had to force himself to smile and to pick up the casual chat.

As easy as that, the two immersed themselves into a couple of hours of steady conversation, and it didn't matter what they saw in each other's eyes – they both knew what was being said without words. And in spite of the apparent easy-going chatter, Sasuke simply knew that it was forced on both their parts and would take a long while for them to go back to what they were. If Naruto was willing to work through it, he would be, too.

For some reason, though, he couldn't help but to see his own sadness reflected in Naruto's gaze.

000

The next few days that went by were nothing less of a struggle for Sasuke. While he had his mind decided about what the future of his relationship with Naruto would be like, something felt undoubtedly off. Naruto tried to his best to create an environment that was good and familiar to both of them, but everything felt forced somehow. Not that Sasuke felt that Naruto was forcing himself to get along with him, because there was no mistaking the honesty in his actions, but the tension was always there, the same as before, but different, and definitely more strained.

Sasuke didn't think that he'd ever actually resent this new arrangement in spite of his resolution, but truth was, he did. He had never been particularly touchy-feely, but when someone made him want to be that way, he valued it. Also, he resented that the lack of contact seemed to have established such a distance between them. It was also stupid that he missed it when Naruto was generally the one to take the initiative.

In a way, Sasuke knew he was being selfish and that all this bothered him for so many reasons he shouldn't feel bothered about. It bothered him that he felt like he was missing out on something, and that nagging feeling was all consuming. Mostly, it bothered him that, in light of what had happened between them, he still didn't really know how Naruto felt about him. He kept telling himself that it didn't matter, that it wouldn't make any difference, but it was a blatant lie.

Was it just something physical? Something sexual? Was it more, or was it something else entirely?

It shouldn't matter. What could Sasuke do about it if he did came to know how Naruto felt? More than that, what exactly did _he_ feel about Naruto in the first place? Attraction, yes, he had already admitted to that, but was there something else, as well?

Not that it _mattered_, Sasuke kept telling himself. There was nothing he could, or wanted to do about it. He wasn't going to ruin the balance in his life for something that felt like a stupid teenage-like crush.

Still…

Still, it was driving him crazy. The constant need to be around Naruto would only make him ache whenever they were actually together. Sasuke thought about him so much he could barely sleep, and when he did sleep, his mind tormented him with fantasies he had no idea he had up until that point. Keeping his sour mood from Karin was an excruciating task.

It was almost funny, really, how his world had been turned upside down in just a few days. Weird, though, was the fact that, no matter how much time passed, things didn't seem to become better at all. He didn't know when or how that sadness had turned into resentment.

Seven days had passed since the incident, and Sasuke found himself hanging out with his fellow Music teachers at the usual place, at the same table outside they always sat. Only recently, Naruto had chosen to sit across from Sasuke instead of right next to him, while the Uchiha was currently sitting between Tenten and Genma.

Sasuke had a cigarette dangling from his lips – the third he had had in the last half hour – and was feeling thoroughly pissed. Naruto was being his usual loud and cheery self, tormenting Shikamaru about something Sasuke didn't bother paying attention to. Sasuke had been staring at the blond for quite a while now, and not once did Naruto look back at him, surely feeling the weight of dark, ferocious eyes on him and fearing what he might meet if he did look back at him.

But, Sasuke realized, he was absolutely starving for attention, starving for warm blue eyes on his, starving for just that simple touch on his arm, just that simple proximity. Just having Naruto by his side would help to ease his mind and put an end to his misery, but Naruto was being such an ass…

No, he was doing the right thing, it was Sasuke that was being stupid and childish. Sasuke knew this, and yet, he didn't stop himself from picking up his mobile phone and texting Naruto.

_To: Moron_

_'I hate you'._

Sasuke watched as Naruto stopped laughing at something Genma had said when he heard his mobile phone alert him of incoming messages. With a heavy frown, he saw Naruto reading and his smile dropping so suddenly the reaction made Sasuke feel both satisfied and guilty. Still, Naruto wouldn't look at him, simply texting him back.

A few seconds later, Sasuke felt his own phone vibrating. Naruto had yet to look at him, but he his joyful mood seemed to have been ruined altogether. Their co-workers kept chatting on casually, oblivious to what was going on with the two, as Sasuke read Naruto's message.

_From: Moron_

_'I'm sorry.'_

Looking up, Sasuke saw that Naruto still wasn't looking at him, simply looking down, probably at his own phone that was resting over his lap under the table, in a similar pose to Sasuke's. He looked oddly empty just then.

Sasuke bit on his lower lip, glaring at the blond. What exactly was Naruto sorry about? For making Sasuke hate him? For this absurd situation? For not looking at him?

But Sasuke couldn't really hate him, he just didn't like him all that much at the moment because Naruto was getting on his nerves. Or maybe, he just liked Naruto that much, and this kind of treatment made him feel miserable.

Before he could even control his fingers, he had already texted Naruto again. Only after the hearing the 'beep' coming from his friend's mobile phone did he realize what he had written.

_To: Moron_

_'I miss you.'_

_Well, shit_, Sasuke thought, even more annoyed at himself, and slightly shocked, as well. That was definitely something he didn't want to admit quite like that.

Even without looking up, he could hear Naruto's sharp intake of breath.

_From: Moron_

_'I'm right here'_, was Naruto's simple reply.

Frowning even more, Sasuke quickly texted back.

_To: Moron_

_'No, you're not.'_

Naruto's reply was taking forever to come, so Sasuke looked up to see Naruto looking back at him. Their eyes met for just a second before Naruto jumped a bit in his seat and heatedly looked at everything but at him. At some point, he excused himself to go to the men's room and eagerly got up, disappearing from view as he got inside the caffé.

Sasuke felt his eyes narrowing in anger and loss. What the _fucking_ hell?

He lit yet another cigarette, only occasionally offering a few words to his co-workers just they wouldn't suspect him to be in a foul mood – not that he was usually very talkative to begin with.

Naruto was gone for five minutes when Sasuke's phone vibrated again, startling him slightly.

_From: Moron_

_'Neither are you.'_

The reply took Sasuke by surprise, and he didn't really understand what Naruto meant by it. However, another buzz tickled his lap before he could start another text message, but the next one took his breath away.

_From: Moron_

_'You have no idea how much I miss you, too…'_

Minutes seemed to have gone by with Sasuke staring at the phrase hands shaking slightly and heart thumping painfully in his chest, not really knowing if the admission made him feel relieved or even more at loss. That was what he had been wanting to know, wasn't it? So why did it have to cause him such a sense of hopelessness and discomfort?

Without bothering to reply, he gathered his things as calmly as he could and shoved them inside his bag. He wasn't sure that he could face Naruto again without doing something stupid, like punching him or something even worse… probably something that didn't consist exactly of huge amounts of pain. When the others asked him where he was going, he simply said that he had urgent matters to attend to, and to let Naruto know he had left.

Sasuke would never have guessed that he'd be this upset over their silent arrangement. In all honesty, he had no idea how to deal with something like this, and in spite of Naruto's apparent certainty, he wasn't sure the blond did, either, or if this solution was even any good.

Their both feelings – whatever they were – were so transparent to each other it was perplexing, but there was no way that either of them could respond to it properly.

Sasuke could think of one good solution, but it wasn't something simply_ doable_, as he had already concluded before. Not that it didn't seem really appealing, but it wasn't something that could be pursued.

And even though he knew it, it kind of pained him in an inexplicable way.

The question was, what else could they do in order to fix it? How long would it last before one of them would break? And when_ that_ happened, would things even manage to be repaired at all?

TBC…

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**_Guest:_**_ Thank you, I'm glad you think the story is good :) About the SasuNaru, we'll have to see about that. Sure, Naruto is open-minded, but as I said previously, I still have to test their sexual chemistry in this story to see how things are going to play out for them. _

**_fireflyingfox:_**_ Aw, thank you! Was this update fast enough? ;P_

**Ready for 'Naruto's Feelings – Part II'? Because that chapter is going to be emotionally INTENSE. It'll be out soon!**

**Review?**


	7. Chapter Seven: Naruto's Feelings Part II

**A/N:**Okay, **AnimaLight, **I have decided to indulge you. So here, take it; a big-assed chapter just for you. I hope you enjoy it ;) But I won't do it again, your dark magic won't work on me anymore, nope!

I was going to split this one in two, but then realized it wouldn't make sense.

**Not betaed.**

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Seven: Naruto's Feelings – Part II**

Two weeks had passed since the 'incident', and in spite of how things seemed even more awkward between them, Sasuke and Naruto didn't stop seeing each other or hanging out.

While neither of them mentioned the little exchange of inappropriate text messages between them, there was still that huge effort on both their parts to not let things go completely dire.

The tension and frustration was obvious, and so was the impeding need to talk about it. Sasuke felt it in his body, like bugs crawling up all over him, and he knew, simply _knew_ that Naruto felt it, too. Most of the times, when it was just the two of them, Sasuke felt the urge to either punch Naruto in the face or kiss him. Sometimes, Naruto talked a lot and about things Sasuke couldn't even understand because inside he was boiling in anger and exasperation, and all he wanted to do was to tell his friend to shut the fuck up so they could share a few minutes of quietude looking into each other's eyes. Sasuke knew how to read Naruto's eyes well, and was sure Naruto could read his, as well, so if they could just have that little while for just the two of them, maybe, just maybe, they could get through to each other, even without words, _somehow_.

Sometimes, Sasuke thought about doing all three things at the same time, if possible, but he never really had the courage to actually act upon his instincts, no matter how strong the impulse was.

He had no idea what it was that he wanted to say to Naruto so that he wouldn't be misunderstood. He didn't know what was wrong with him, or why he felt so lost whenever he and the blond where anywhere near each other. His confusion took over his daily life and it was driving him crazy. From day to day, things between them seemed to be getting worse, and this scared Sasuke because he simply didn't know how to make it stop and reverse things so that everything could be like the way it was before.

While he had enjoyed that initial tension, the flirting and the almost-kissing, he was also becoming increasingly regretful towards his giving in, because, clearly, it had led them to that terrible outcome. That intimacy had become somewhat precious to him, and he didn't want to regret it in spite of this knowledge making him feel guilty towards his marriage, but he was seriously starting to think that he'd take it all back if he only had a chance to be friends with Naruto in that easy way they had been before.

If someone from the outside looked at them, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference in their relationship because, to the eyes of others, they still talked normally to each other about random stuff, still laughed, still bickered here and there, and still looked like they got along well in spite of their diverging personalities. They still elbowed each other frequently, but that was the only contact they shared, and it always made Sasuke become pretty stiff and Naruto blush, the action always followed by awkward silence.

Sasuke was becoming to think that, if things stayed like this much longer, their friendship wouldn't survive until summer.

Nevertheless, no matter how frustratingly fidgety Naruto would become from day to day or how quickly Sasuke's smiles were dying to be replaced by frowns and glares, it was simpler to pretend and let the time pass. Pretending and taking the agonizing tension seemed worth it, if anything, because they genuinely wanted to be around each other, and there was no forcefulness in _that_.

There was no mistaking the look on Naruto's face every time Sasuke either agreed to hang out or suggested it himself. In spite of everything, even when Sasuke did want to hit something of bang his head against the walls, just knowing that they wanted to be around each other offered him a sort of small coziness that was irreplaceable.

000

That fateful Friday seemed to carry with it a sense of change.

A few days ago, Naruto had mentioned that he needed new strings for his guitar and asked if Sasuke wanted to go with him. Sasuke had no idea that the blond even played guitar, which was a rather idiotic fact considering Naruto was a Music teacher after all. More out of curiosity and eagerness to be with Naruto someplace different (seriously, the constant rendezvous at local cafés was beginning to tire him), Sasuke didn't even have to think before agreeing, especially because Naruto seemed really excited about bringing him along.

As per usual, when their classes were over, the two took the subway and headed to wherever it was Naruto had his car parked. Sasuke had no idea if that was the street where he lived, but he didn't dare to ask, and the other didn't offer any input to confirm or deny it.

Naruto owned an old dark red Ford Fiesta of 94 that he seemed very fond of. It was his first car, he had said, and he'd only get rid of it when the rusty can with wheels collapsed.

Since Naruto was a very relaxed person, Sasuke always had the idea that he was a bit of a slacker and kind of messy, but he was pleased to find out that the car was in good condition, and pristine clean on the inside. Well, Naruto could've also cleaned it because he knew Sasuke was going to sit there, but the first option was probably wishful thinking for the Uchiha.

Even though the car shook a lot and was terribly noisy, since it was a diesel engine, Sasuke found that he really liked it for some reason. It was cozy and it smelled good, not to mention that Naruto was enough of a good driver to make him feel safe.

Sasuke leaned back on his seat, making himself more comfortable as he tried to stretch his legs as much as he could. He looked to the side, to Naruto's profile, to see that the other male was focused on the road, his expression calm.

Sasuke had no idea where Naruto was taking him, but it wasn't as if he particularly cared. They drove for about half an hour and there was music playing, a pleasant mixture of rock and pop, and for once, Naruto decided to keep quiet instead of starting a random conversation, which was strangely soothing to Sasuke. At least they weren't pretending when they were silent, and they could both simply enjoy each other's presence without forced words or actions getting in the way. For the first time in several days, everything felt like it did when they had met, before the chaos had settled between them, and in spite of it being achieved with the much appreciated silence, it was still blissful, and a lot easier to bear than the useless chatter.

Sasuke allowed himself to shamelessly stare at Naruto for a while, simply taking a small pleasure in examining the other's features. Naruto gazed at him sideways before his blue eyes settled on the road once more, a small smile making the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. At seeing it, Sasuke felt himself smile a bit in return because he genuinely liked the way Naruto smiled, and it wasn't like his smiles towards him were ever really forced, but that one had a hint of something rare in it, something secretive that Sasuke knew not many had the chance to see. For the moment, it made him content.

The sun was already starting to set when Naruto stopped the car in a town Sasuke had never visited before, in a street full of all sorts of interesting looking shops. They walked for a while until they found the one Naruto wanted to visit. There were all sorts of instruments and sound systems displayed all over the wide show window, but when they got inside, Sasuke's chin fell. The place was huge, very modern and organized, and he didn't think he had ever seen so many musical instruments in his life, and certainly not in so many different shapes and colors.

Naruto positively beamed at him as they entered before heading to the counter to ask the employer for the type of strings he wanted. As he did this, Sasuke took his time taking a look around. He spent some time admiring a few weirdly-shaped violins before moving on to the acoustic guitars. Everything seemed so eccentric it seemed like each and every instrument was a unique piece – which probably was true. He found great interest in a particular black guitar painted in tones of smoky dark blue and grey on the front. It was hanging on the wall, looking smooth and pretty, and really, it wasn't like it was the most extravagant or fascinating one there, but somehow it caught Sasuke's attention.

Without thinking, he reached out to run the tips of his fingers over the polished surface.

"You like it?" The question was asked from behind him in a simple way by a familiar voice, a warm breath tingling his ear and sending shivers down his spine. Naruto's body wasn't even touching his, but he was definitely a lot closer than he had been during those seemingly never-ending days, so it was normal for Sasuke to feel overly conscious of his presence.

"I guess," Sasuke replied softly, without turning around, still looking at the object like it was a piece of art. "I don't even know how to play something like this, but there is an elegance to it that is really beautiful."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, with a smile in his voice. "It's even more beautiful when it comes to life. Here, let me show you."

Sasuke felt Naruto move to his side and reach for the guitar, carefully removing it from its holder. He looked around in search for something until he found it. Sasuke followed him as he made his way to a small stool and sat down, placing the guitar over his lap. A little excited, Sasuke stood in front of him and watched as Naruto tuned the guitar, trying out the strings for the right tones for a while until he was satisfied. Then, taking a deep breath, he tried out a few experimental but efficient accords before smoothly starting a song, not one Sasuke was familiar with, and not one particularly complicated, but consistent enough to catch his attention. The melody was slow and simple, almost romantic but without dramatic undertones. Naruto played it confidently, his body relaxed and a small smile on his lips while he looked down at his own moving fingers, his messy fringe falling over his eyes.

The scene felt almost eerie to the dark-haired one, who could all but watch Naruto intently, almost mesmerized. He felt a kind of peace that he hardly possessed, even though his breathing became a little ragged because… he didn't know exactly _why, _but seeing his friend like that made him a little flushed.

He liked that Naruto knew how to play the guitar. He liked it even more that he played it well, and suddenly, he wanted to know if Naruto was also talented as far as his singing went, but he couldn't find the nerve to ask him to sing because it seemed like such a personal, intimate thing to ask all of a sudden.

So he simply sat down on the floor with legs crossed Indian style, his elbows resting over his knees. Naruto stopped playing, looking smug.

"So, I have an audience now," he said, offering Sasuke a small smile.

"You do," Sasuke confirmed, with a falsely serious nod. "Can't you see I just made myself comfortable? I'm going to start throwing coins at you in a minute."

"I'm guessing you want me to play for you, then." Naruto chuckled and shifted slightly on the stool. "What do you want me to play? I can't promise to know the piece you suggest, though."

"Anything's fine," Sasuke replied, shrugging, before adding "But I liked what you were playing, so something of the same genre would be nice."

With a calm nod, Naruto made his fingers travel over the strings, creating a few slow notes. "Anything to keep you happy, Sasuke" he said, winking at him, and this made Sasuke feel so warm inside he couldn't stop the smirk from forming on his mouth if he had tried really hard.

A few seconds later, another flowing melody filled the air and Naruto played it as easily as he had the previous one. Sasuke allowed himself to sigh and close his eyes.

He had no idea how long he sat there, simply listening to Naruto play in the middle of the store. His eyes were closed, but he could feel Naruto's intense gaze on him as he played song after song that Sasuke couldn't recognize, but it wasn't as if he minded it. Naruto's eyes were on him, watching him, appreciating him, and they felt like the brush of fingertips, softly caressing him all over, calmingly. That perception wasn't something he could explain, but it felt like he could sense the gentleness in those eyes, what they were telling him, and by not looking back, Sasuke was both silently accepting it and refusing to acknowledge it. There was no way he could tell what he'd do if he did, but he was sure that it would probably be emotionally painful.

Somehow, it was better to just enjoy the moment for what it was, because for the first time in weeks, the air between them was lighter, and for a moment, it became easier to breathe. Sensing those feelings they shared was different from experiencing it, from seeing it, and it was easier to deal with, less real, if that made sense. Naruto's music and his presence were captivating to Sasuke, who felt enraptured inside those walls that trapped them together, wishing that every moment between them could be as easy as this, as intimate as this, when, even if for just a few minutes, he could forget about the rest of the world.

000

There was no way Sasuke could lie about how content just being around Naruto made him feel, and he knew that Naruto felt the same way. Still, as soon as they left the store where Naruto had played the guitar for him, the spell was broken and the distance between them made Sasuke feel like Naruto had, once more, closed in on himself in order to keep him at arms' length. This was something that now, more than angering or frustrating him, deeply saddened him instead.

To some extent, Sasuke understood that there was a certain dark beauty to what was happening with them. Everything they did together felt like something extraordinary, no matter how silly or apparently banal the situation was. But that was why it was all so unfortunate.

They didn't talk much, and still, the silence was strangely comfortable, and Sasuke found out that he preferred it. Since both of them were hungry, they agreed to drop by somewhere to grab something to eat. They stopped by a convenience store and purchased all sorts of junk food before heading back to the car.

Exchanging only a few essential words, they shared the food while Naruto drove for a long time, heading to nowhere in particular it seemed. Night was already upon them, but time seemed to have stopped entirely. Sometimes, Naruto's hand would rest on Sasuke's seat, near his thigh, but never close enough to actually touch.

At one point Naruto asked for a cigarette, and Sasuke fished one out from his own pack, brought it to his own lips and lit it before finally giving it to Naruto. The reason why he did this was so that he could see what Naruto would do. Would Naruto turn it down because Sasuke had purposefully put the cigarette in his mouth, or would he accept it? Two weeks ago, Sasuke would've known the answer, but right now, he had no idea if his friend was really going to add yet another strain to the tension and distance between them.

To Sasuke's relief – or surprise, he wasn't really sure – Naruto silently accepted the cigarette and actually smoked it. It had been nothing more than a test, and Sasuke thought that he was ready for whichever result that came out of it, but actually seeing Naruto put his mouth somewhere where Sasuke's own mouth had been, had been quite the visual shock, and quite the unexpected turn on, as well. Still, it managed to make him feel a bit less trapped in the middle of all of it, because Naruto had actually let him in just a little bit.

He couldn't point the exact moment the atmosphere started to change again, he only knew that they had stopped talking entirely and that Naruto seemed suddenly on edge. His hands seemed to be gripping the steering wheel as if they meant to break it, his shoulders tense and his eyebrows heavily furrowed as he stared at the road unblinkingly. Sasuke eyed him a bit hesitantly but didn't dare to ask what was wrong, not because he was afraid Naruto might snap at him – oh, how he wanted Naruto to just do something and react in some way – but because he wasn't sure if the other male would even know how to drive if he _did_ snap, so Sasuke just leant on the door and rested his head against the window, absently gazing at the landscape outside but not really seeing it.

After a while, Naruto stopped the car at some deserted parking lot Sasuke had never seen, but that was clearly some sort of tourist must see spot because it had a gazebo up ahead that, apparently, offered a wonderful view to the city down below.

Naruto switched off the ignition, unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car, slamming the door shut without saying another word. Safe from a few street lamps, it was pretty dark, so Sasuke couldn't quite catch where Naruto had headed off to. With a sigh, he debated on whether to follow Naruto in case he was feeling ill or something, or if he should let him beso he could have some time alone with his thoughts. He didn't think too much, though, quickly opening the door and getting out of the car. Just as he was about to close it, he felt himself being quickly maneuvered so that he was being turned around. Gasping, he vaguely heard the door being closed before he was being roughly pushed against it, not hard enough to hurt, but definite enough to knock the wind off him.

Hands were slammed over the surface of the car on either side of his shoulders and then, all he could see was Naruto in front of him, impossibly close and looking absolutely feral and about to commit bloody murder, his blue eyes almost luminescent in the dark.

"Naruto, don't!" Sasuke pleaded, on reflex alone, Sasuke pressing his hands to Naruto's chest, as if to stop him for doing anything else.

Moved by the sudden rush of panic and adrenaline, not really knowing what was going to happen, that was all Sasuke could think about saying. His whole body was shivering in shock and awe at the sudden turn of events. Naruto wasn't even touching him at all, but he could feel the blonde's body trembling slightly, his breath raged against Sasuke's opened mouth.

Naruto looked angry like Sasuke had never imagined he could. "Don't what, Sasuke?" he snapped, frowning deeply. "What exactly is it that you don't want me to do?"

Sasuke had no idea how to answer that, because he didn't know what Naruto had been about to do, or if he even had been about to do something at all.

_Don't hit me? Don't kiss me? Don't stop if you're thinking about kissing me?_ Maybe all three of these or neither of them, Sasuke didn't know. All he did know was that Naruto's closeness after so long of being distant was something that both excited and freaked the living hell out of him. It felt weird, right and wrong at the same time, and it wasn't like he was exactly scared – in fact, he had no idea how he felt, but he was aware that the air was almost suffocating.

"I don't know!" Sasuke snapped back with confused honesty. "Just… whatever it is that you're thinking about doing, don't. Not like this."

Naruto's heartbeat was as powerful as Sasuke's underneath the Uchiha's palm, and it affected him in ways he didn't think possible, so he closed his fingers around the fabric of Naruto's blue sweater, locking eyes with Naruto's wild ones as an intense heat consumed him from head to toe at the same time that ice seemed to chill his spine.

Blue eyes scrutinized him for a moment before the ferociousness left them to be replaced with an almost innocent and heartbreaking helplessness.

"Damn you," he hissed, between clenched teeth. Then, he let his head fall forward – making Sasuke's heart stop for just a second in restless anticipation in the process – but ended up simply pressing his forehead against Sasuke's, releasing a shaky breath. "You drive me crazy," he added, almost inaudibly. "_Fuck…_"

Many things ran through Sasuke's head just then as he willed himself to calm down, which was a hard enough feat considering he had the object of his most recent attention right in front of him, their faces so close he knew he only had to tilt his head up a bit if he wanted them to kiss. Not that Naruto's body language was inviting him to do so, not like that day at the park, but the thought still crossed Sasuke's mind. For a fleeting moment of madness, he almost did it, but what little rationality his brain possessed knew that Naruto was upset and that, just as Sasuke himself had said, nothing like that should be happening like this.

Instead, seeking some form of comfort and relief from those agonizing weeks, Sasuke let go of Naruto's sweater and snaked his arms around his waist, underneath his opened jacket, and yanked him close none-too-gently, the action forcing their chests to collide and Naruto to release a noise of surprise. He must've thought Sasuke was going to do something because he turned his face to the side so that their mouths wouldn't be so dangerously close to touching, but Sasuke didn't hesitate in using the new opportunity to bury his face in the curve of Naruto's neck. The body in his arms was unfamiliar but hard and strong against his. It tensed up when Sasuke inhaled the scent he had been so used to but had missed, but the hesitance lasted for less than five seconds before warm arms were being wrapped around his neck, pulling him impossibly close, one hand burying itself in the black strands at the back of his head. Sasuke could feel Naruto's lips being pressed to his temple, gentle but desperate. He sighed at the sensation, his body finding a weird sort of relaxation in how unfathomably good it felt to be held with the same need he felt.

And then, it was all over and Sasuke found himself with his arms stretched, empty, and his body cold as Naruto took several steps backwards. The blonde was shaking his head from side to side while staring at Sasuke with wide eyes as if he was some kind of abomination, his face a deadly shade of grey.

Worry shadowed Sasuke's confusion and frustration. "Naruto?" he asked, taking a cautious step forward. "What…" But Naruto had lifted a hand to stop him from saying anything else, so Sasuke closed his mouth and remained where he was.

At this point, the blonde looked more pained and tired than anything else, and it made Sasuke's heart sink.

"Listen," he said, with hurried restlessness. "This is not who I am, Sasuke. I'm the kind of person who fights for what he wants. When I have something to say, I say it, no matter the consequences. That's me. I have never stopped being myself for anyone, and I did it for _you_, because my respect for you is more valuable to me than what I want."

Barely blinking, Sasuke stared, unsure of what to feel, how - or if – he was supposed to reply to that. However, it seemed that Naruto wasn't even close to being finished.

"But it's killing me," Naruto proceeded, all in one go. "I can't deal with this anymore, I feel like I'm about to explode because I have all these feelings pilling up inside of me that I want to let out, and I know I shouldn't, but I have to because I'm _so_ fucking tired, Sasuke, and we're hurting each other ..." He took a deep breath. "I don't want to hurt you..."

Looking at Naruto, Sasuke knew that listening to whatever it was that he had to say – and he had a good idea about what it was – would somehow be decisive to the status of their relationship as it was. He knew that things had to be discussed, knew that, for the balance to be restored, they couldn't pretend forever, and yet, his racing mind was just realizing how much it would change things between them. If for better or worse, he didn't know, but it was intimidating, and even though he had rehearsed a (calm and civilized) conversation between them over and over again in his mind, he didn't exactly expect things to turn out like this.

"Naruto..."

"No," Naruto interrupted him again, almost pleadingly. "You can ignore it afterwards if you want, but I have to tell you... _please_."

Biting his lower lip hesitantly, Sasuke slowly nodded. He watched as Naruto's eyes brightened up in relief as he took a deep breath.

"I like you," he said, and it was claimed with such conviction it blew Sasuke away, his eyes becoming wide as he started into Naruto's serious ones. "I like you so much I don't know what to do with myself. I liked you from the moment I saw you lurking around those halls, and I liked you even more after I met you, even though you're sometimes difficult and the complete opposite of me."

Sasuke took a sharp intake of breath when Naruto offered him a tiny, but genuine smile while he hopped from one foot to the other restlessly.

"I like the way you smile and even your almost cruel honesty," he proceeded. "I like it that you close yourself to everyone but open up only to me. I don't like guys, Sasuke. I wanted us to be friends. I never expected to someday be talking to you like we usually did and all of a sudden thinking, 'fuck, this person is gorgeous'. Not just on the outside, because, look at you, you're stunning, but… to me, _for me_, you have turned into someone amazing."

Sasuke's legs threatened to give out, so he leaned his back on the door of the car, his hands sweating even though the night air was chilly.

"I freaked out," Naruto admitted, with a helpless shrug, now scratching this head anxiously. "Not because you're a guy, but because you're married and I'm not. I'm not afraid of liking another man, even though I have no idea what it's like, but I know that it's wrong to pursue someone that's already been taken. So I tried to ignore it. I was scared that I might lose you if you figured out how I felt. But you were… you always made me feel so… _unique_. I'm not blaming it on you, I'm just saying that I felt like I was special to you, who never seemed to like anyone else.

"I never meant to flirt with you." The blonde's voice lowered in regret. "I wanted to, but I knew I shouldn't, so I fought not to. When I first did, I acted on impulse and curiosity to see how you'd react. You always seemed so comfortable around me… and then you went along with it and I couldn't help but wonder if you felt the same way, somehow." He crossed his arms over his chest, as if only now feeling the cold. "I told myself that it didn't matter even if you did but… when you like someone you want to be close to them. You want to touch them and say nice things to them and… you just want _everything_; _anything._ And I wanted that from you. I still do."

Sasuke found it hard to keep his breathing steady when there was so much sadness and longing in Naruto's eyes. No-one had ever said such things to him, not even when he was younger and girls threw themselves at his feet. It was like those were hit some deep spot inside of him he had never known existed, and there was so much genuine emotion and honesty in them Sasuke didn't even think about contesting him.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered. "If I hadn't pushed your buttons, if I had kept my hands to myself, you'd probably never have allowed yourself to get carried away."

A strong gush of wind ruffled his messy air and huffed as he closed his eyes, seeming to take some comfort in it. When he reopened them, that confident seriousness was there again. For some strange reason, Sasuke thought he looked peculiarly beautiful.

"I'm _not_ confused;" Naruto said, with conviction. "I know how I feel about you, but I don't know what to do. I've never felt this way for another person in my life, let alone a guy, or even someone I've just met. It may sound weird, but… I can feel you, your feelings… I can feel that this is not my imagination… I tried to ignore it, for both our sakes, but I can't do it anymore. Not when you look at me the way you do, not when you seem to be in pain. I don't want to lose you, Sasuke, but I… I want you." He bit his lower lip, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's. "Being next to you, touching you… Sasuke, that's when I'm the happiest; that's when I feel like I finally belong somewhere. That night in the park I wanted you to kiss me and you almost did, didn't you?"

With his mouth dry and his heart beating violently inside his chest, Sasuke watched as his friend took a single cautious step forward towards him, saying "I can't be imagining it, not when you're looking at me like that right now."

While, before, Naruto had meant to pour his heart out so that Sasuke could listen, now he was clearly waiting for him to say something, because he was very still in his spot, still way too distanced from the other, looking expectant.

Surprised at himself, Sasuke realized that he didn't want to run away, even if his instincts told him to recoil, to lie and say something, _anything_ to contradict Naruto's very accurate assumption of his feelings. If he lied, if he said that the almost-kiss had been nothing but a spur of the moment thing…

But he didn't want to, even though he knew he should. Whether he was honest or not, nothing would, _could_ change between them, and still, something inside of Sasuke wanted Naruto to know. Maybe he was being selfish, but he _needed_ Naruto to know.

"You're not imagining it," Sasuke whispered, his voice steadier than he had expected it to be. "I _was_ going to kiss you if Karin hadn't called, and maybe I was a little tipsy, but I wanted to, because you… I was drawn to you from the very start. I don't think any of this was ever one-sided, Naruto."

Sasuke's confession was shot and dull compared to Naruto's, but he seemed to get the message across just fine, because the blonde's eyes became almost comically wide, as if, in spite of his confidence on his knowledge of Sasuke's feelings, he hadn't expected for him to be so straightforward about it.

"Oh…" Naruto breathed out shakily. "Fuck… I think I need to sit down."

Before Sasuke could do anything, Naruto had already collapsed on the stony ground, sitting with his legs pulled to his chest, arms resting over his knees and his face buried in them. He seemed completely worn out, and it tore at Sasuke's very soul for some reason, even if he knew it wasn't his fault. Those words being confessed to one another were something amazing, but it wasn't like they were in a situation where they could simply take the time to enjoy it. It was apparently only sinking in, in Naruto's brain right now, just how complicated things were.

Sasuke couldn't really wrap his own mind around what Naruto had just said to him, but apparently he cared to a degree that was a little foreign and devastating to Sasuke. He wondered if the reason why he felt so heartbroken all of a sudden was because he cared just as much.

Heaving a long, tired sigh, Sasuke made his way to Naruto and stopped before crouching down in front of him. Moved by instinct alone, he placed one hand over Naruto's elbow for balance and another over his head, gently caressing the untamable locks. After a while, and without removing his hand, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the spot he had just touched, making Naruto tense up. When he felt him move, Sasuke leaned back slightly so Naruto could lift his head up. Their noses were touching as they looked at each other in silence, and even though there was still that strong, undeniable pull between them, it somehow felt less strained than before, even more intimate if that was possible.

"You know," Naruto whispered gently, his breath fanning over Sasuke's lips. "I quit smoking a couple of years ago, actually. But when I saw that you smoked, I kind of felt that it was something that we could share."

Sasuke didn't know if he should smile or frown, so he kind of ended up doing both.

"That's… pretty stupid," he whispered back.

"I know," Naruto agreed, giving a half-hearted chuckle. As Sasuke proceeded with his ministrations on his hair, he sensed Naruto relaxing, basking in the action. "What are we going to do, Sasuke?"

Never in his life would Sasuke ever guess that he'd feel so absolutely complete and empty at the same time. Touching Naruto, being near him like this… just as his friend had said, it made him feel happy, and it seemed so natural, so relieving after those weeks when it had seemed like they had been miles away from each other. But…

There was always a 'but', and Naruto knew it, too. What other reason could there be for them to not be all over each other by now?

"What is there to do?" Sasuke muttered. Naruto shifted one of his arms. Very still, Sasuke waited for the inevitable touch, and true enough, it didn't take long for cold fingers to brush over his cheek.

"I could think of a couple of things," Naruto said with clear meaning behind his words.

Sasuke's heart did a funny jump, and he all but leaned on the touch. "So can I…" he mumbled, before moving away a bit so he could look into Naruto's attentive and oh-so emotional eyes, the hand touching him following the movement. "Naruto, I'm married."

It wasn't like Naruto looked hurt by this, because he had to know that it was coming, but he didn't seem less devastated either.

"I know that," the blond said, with a firm nod, absently touching Sasuke's ear and rubbing the lobe with gentleness. "I may be in love with you, but I'd never tell you to get a divorce, or even cheat on your wife. That's wrong, and I know we barely know each other, so I can't possible tell you what to do."

Sasuke would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that Naruto bluntly confessing to be 'in love' with him didn't surprise him. It was one thing for them to be attracted to each other and liking each other, but being _in love_ seemed like such an overstatement right then. How could Naruto say that _and_ mention they barely knew each other in the same sentence?

And that was not all. He never pegged Naruto for a dishonest guy, but at the same time, Sasuke had expected him to ask and want things from him now that their mutual interest was out on the open, and now he was saying that he wouldn't do it?

And why was Sasuke feeling upset about this when he had been the one to throw his marriage to the scene, practically cutting off any other chances of them being anything more than friends?

The strangest feeling took over him just then. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had acknowledged their feelings but had also automatically accepted that there was nothing to be done about it. Apparently, though, his subconscious had wanted Naruto to fight him and find alternatives.

"Why not?" Sasuke inquired, probably a bit more aggressively than he had intended, very aware of how childish he sounded. "You could, you know. Just tell me what you want from me."

Naruto's eyebrows disappeared underneath his fringe at that.

"I already said that I want you," he replied, for some reason smirking slightly, his hand falling from Sasuke's face to tug at the zipper of his jacket. "But I'm not willing to be the second best in your life, Sasuke. I want you with me, for real."

Sasuke's chin fell at that. "That's all?" he asked.

"What do you want me to say?" Naruto inquired, now frowning. "You want me to tell you to cheat on your wife? To drop everything you've built? For me?"

No, that wasn't what Sasuke wanted at all. Or maybe it was did? He never meant to do anything with Naruto behind Karin's back, but at the same time, maybe he had expected Naruto to… simply want more from him. Maybe Sasuke was just looking for an excuse to do something he wanted to do, but didn't want to do at the same time.

"I don't know what I want," Sasuke admitted, genuinely confused with himself. "I just… I'm having all these thoughts I didn't have before, this is not going the way I imagined it would, and now I'm… I don't know how to feel."

Naruto gave him another smile, almost reassuring. "You can't have everything; life is made of choices," he said simply, even though, clearly, there was something in his expression that seemed to struggle with his resolution. "Do you _want_ to cheat on your wife, Sasuke?"

Biting his lip, the Uchiha examined Naruto's features, quickly thinking things through in his messy head.

Did he want to do something about his relationship with Naruto and change it for the better? There was no doubt about it. Just being this close to the other brought up all sorts of feelings and urges he didn't even know he could possibly possess towards another person, and it was all so crazy how he didn't feel intimidated by the fact that Naruto was a man.

Did he want to do that to Karin? Did he even have a reason to feel like he should do it?

No. His current feelings had absolutely nothing to do with his marriage. Nothing in his life had led him to this. It wasn't like he had ever felt unaccomplished or in need of another person's affection while with Karin. It wasn't like he felt that something was missing, and yet, the way he felt towards Karin and the way he felt for Naruto were distinctly different. Why, Sasuke didn't know. Was it because he loved Karin but was sexually attracted to Naruto? That somehow didn't sound wrong, but it didn't sound right either. It wasn't just Naruto's body he liked, there was definitely some kind of intellectual bond there as well, but it was still different from what he felt for his wife.

Was he even in love with Naruto? Was Naruto really in love with him or was he simply misunderstanding his feelings just like Sasuke was?

Karin didn't deserve it. In spite of Sasuke wanting Naruto so badly his skin seemed to tingle with the need, could he really do it and live with it afterwards? Could he keep it from Karin or would it consume him?

"No…" he whispered, the realization shocking even to him. "I have no reason to."

Naruto nodded, ever the understanding man, and firmly zipped up Sasuke's jacket almost playfully. Then, he swiftly got up while Sasuke looked up at him, feeling so unbearably overrun with emotions it seemed unfair that this fact seemed to have lightened up Naruto's mood.

"Then you're going to have to think about us and think about what you want," Naruto affirmed, ruffling Sasuke's hair affectionately. "I can't possibly tell you what to do, and I don't want to be responsible for ruining someone's life."

He then extended his hand, which Sasuke took, and helped the dark-haired done to his feet.

"Whatever you choose to do, I will accept it," he proceeded calmly and confidently once they stood in front of each other. "It's okay, you don't have to give me an answer today, tomorrow or even a week from now. Just think about it, and think really hard. That's all I ask."

Naruto's hand made a move to let go of Sasuke's, but Sasuke grabbed it securely in his. "I want you, too," he said, through clenched teeth, looking into Naruto's eyes that looked at him so calmly and understandingly, so full of things that were left to say Sasuke almost felt like looking away it was too much for him. "I really do, Naruto."

"I know," the blond acknowledged, before sighing tiredly. "Come on, let's head back. I'll drive you home, if that's okay with you. It's getting kind of late."

Prying his hand free from Sasuke's, he shoved both his hands inside his pockets and turned around, heading towards the car without another word.

Sasuke stared at his retreating back in an almost dream-like state, unsure of how to feel or what to do. Eventually, he let his feet automatically drag him to the car.

000

Sasuke convinced himself that it was okay to seek Naruto's hand during the drive to his apartment. He had briefly considered if it was a good idea to show Naruto where he lived, but somehow, he just knew that his friend wouldn't use the knowledge to do anything to harm him or his relationship with Karin – he had said so himself.

Naruto had accepted the hand, silently intertwining their fingers together and resting their joined hands over his thigh casually. Once in a while, one of them would risk running a thumb through the other's fingers, and it reminded Sasuke of that fateful night where everything had changed at the beer parlor. It disconcerted him how that awkwardness seemed to have vanished for some reason, even if things were far from being fixed between them.

They arrived at their destination far too quickly, or at least it felt like it to Sasuke. He didn't understand his both wanting desperately to leave and to stay in that car for the rest of the night, even if just to hold hands.

But he had to go, he knew it. They were both physically and emotionally exhausted and being near each other wouldn't help them in any way.

When Sasuke unbuckled his seatbelt Naruto, as usually, offered him one of his beautiful and heartfelt smiles so, as he often found himself doing when around the other, Sasuke acted on instinct, twisting his body in his seat and leaning forward. He was aware of Naruto's attentive eyes on his every move, his body language very placid, completely trusting – a trust Sasuke didn't feel like breaking, for both their sakes.

But still, they had been apart for far too long, and there was only so much he could take, so Sasuke didn't hesitate in leaning in and pressing his lips to Naruto's soft scarred cheek, letting them linger there for a bit before pulling slightly away and watching the other's reaction.

Naruto's blue eyes didn't reveal surprise or distaste; instead, he just kept smiling softly, fingers reaching out to pull lightly at one of Sasuke's bangs before saying, "Good night, Sasuke. Have a nice weekend."

Not really knowing what else to say, or do, Sasuke licked his lips – unintentionally catching in his tongue the distinct flavor of Naruto's skin – and moved away.

"You, too, Naruto," was all he said, before grabbing for his things and getting out of the car, dreading the restless weekend ahead of him.

TBC…

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**Ttracee:** Yeah, Sasuke's head is a mess right now. He's feeling so many different emotions he doesn't know what to do, or what he wants at this point. I feel sorry for him, because (as we can see on this chapter), Naruto finds it a lot easier to come to terms with his own feelings and what he wants. Thank you for commenting!

**Fireflyingfox:** Aw, thank you so much! I'm so happy that you like the story! I hope this chapter has pleased you ;)

**XYZ:** Thank you so much for kind words, and welcome to the story! I try to portray feelings as realistically as I possibly can, so hopefully it's working out. Thank you for reading ;)

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**I know. Confusing, right? Bah, Sasuke kills me.**

**Little spoiler for next chapter: Karin makes an appearance and Sasuke needs to tell someone about everything happening.**

**Thank you so much for reading and commenting! You guys make my day :D**

**Review?**


	8. Chapter Eight: Turmoil

**A/N:** Not betaed for the time being.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Eight: Turmoil**

Neji and Sakura were both Sasuke's friends, but it wasn't like the three of them were a trio. Even though it was thanks to Sakura that Neji had met his girlfriend, Ino, the two of them weren't exactly close and they never really hung out unless either Sasuke or Ino were present. Since those two were far too different from each other, Sasuke tried not to make them meet unless he could help it. That's why, on the rare times he did ask for their mutual company, the two knew he had something serious to talk about.

Having spent his Saturday visiting Karin's parents and making a huge effort in pretending that his mind wasn't somewhere else, Sasuke was practically crawling out of skin with the agony of his own thoughts and the anguish of his feelings by the end of the day. That night, he took Karin out to watch a movie she had been nagging him about wanting to see for ages, but the entertainment wasn't exactly distracting him from his own, very troubled mind.

When Sunday arrived, Sasuke was so on edge he was ready to commit bloody murder. Naruto had told him to think about them, and that was all Sasuke had done ever since they had parted ways, but all the thinking didn't seem to be going nowhere. If anything, it only made him feel ever the more frustrated and confused. The fact that he had everything bottled up inside of him didn't help, and he desperately needed someone to talk to, someone who didn't feel the way he felt so they could evaluate the situation from an objective point of view and offer him some advice.

So, he invited himself – and Sakura – to have lunch at Neji's. He recalled Neji saying something about going on a date with Ino, but his best friend seemed perceptive of Sasuke's urgent tone, so he agreed to cancel and have them over. Sakura brought the dessert while Sasuke brought the wine.

They sat at the kitchen table while Neji cooked and Sasuke didn't feel like wasting time, so he cut right to the chase.

While Neji knew about his new friendship with Naruto, Sakura wasn't really aware of this, so he had to start from the very beginning, from the day he and Naruto had met.

The story seemed to take forever to be told. Sasuke needed to tell them everything, he just had to express himself in some way, had to tell them the things he experienced, how it made him feel, had to tell them about the person Naruto was. Neji remained calm while Sakura looked at him with minty eyes wide and mouth agape. She seemed to want to ask questions, but Sasuke wasn't much of a talker, so the fact that he was shooting words nonstop efficiently kept her silent, listening to the very end. By the time he was almost finished, they were in the middle of their meal, the one only Neji seemed to be ingesting with his natural stoic elegance.

"I can't sleep, I can't focus, I can't think about anything but him," Sasuke said agitatedly, holding his third glass of wine tightly in both hands and vaguely wondering why the hell he wasn't drunk yet. "What the fuck am I supposed to do? I don't even know what he wants me to do. He tells me he can't possibly tell me _what_ to do, but then says that I should think about us and how he doesn't want to be the second best…"

"Now hold on, Sasuke, this is way too much information in one go!" Sakura interrupted, lifting one perfectly manicured hand to stop his rant, placing the other one over her chest. "Calm the hell down and give me a minute to let it sink, will you?"

"How the fuck am I supposed to calm down?" Sasuke snapped, reaching out for the bottle and pouring himself more wine. "Do you have any idea just how torturing these last few weeks have been for me?"

"Shut up, and let me think!" Sakura snapped back, snatching the bottle form him and also refilling her own glass. She slammed the bottle back on the table and took a few healthy gulps of the red liquid before lowering the glass and breathing in an out a few times. Then, she looked at Sasuke, looking confused. "A_ guy_, Sasuke, really? I mean, are you like, Bi or something and never knew about it?"

"No!" Sasuke retorted, frowning heavily. "I don't like guys, I _know_ I don't."

"But you obviously like _him_," Sakura pointed out, making a weird face. "And you almost willingly kissed him, too! I don't even know what to think!"

"I kind of had the feeling that something like this would happen," Neji stated placidly, playing with the food in his plate with his chopsticks without really looking at the other two. "I should've guessed that Sasuke, being the way he is, wouldn't be so excited about another person if there wasn't some kind of deeper interest."

"Well, you should've fucking told me if you were suspecting something!" Sasuke growled, glaring at his friend reproachfully and earning another glare in return.

"Please, Sasuke, from the things you told me about him, the guy was into you from the very beginning," Neji said, shrugging. "And you were so excited about him it was unreal, it was just a matter of time before something was bound to reveal itself." He smirked nastily. "For someone with such a high-leveled IQ, you sure are oblivious."

Sasuke's eyes all but narrowed as he took another sip on his drink.

"Okay, so you've been talking about this guy and about how much you think about him, but," Sakura shook her head from side to side, finally picking up her chopsticks and absently poking at her fish. "What exactly do you think about? Fucking him?"

Sasuke almost spit his wine out at the blunt question, but managed to swallow the liquid just in time before coughing a bit.

"No, Sakura, geez!" he spat, setting his glass down and reaching for his napkin so he could wipe at his mouth. "It's already weird enough that he's a guy, let alone thinking about sex and who puts what where." He waved his hand dismissively, trying to ignore the heat forming in his cheeks "Just... no. I wouldn't even know where to start."

Sakura didn't look convinced as she rose a pink eyebrow. "So?"

Sasuke sighed, leaning back on his chair. "I don't know," he said, looking down to at his untouched plate of food. "I do think about some stuff that is sexual, but mostly I think about _him_. About his words, the way he acts, the way he smiles... the way I feel when he is around me and when he... touches me..."

Nothing was said for a while, and noticing the silence, Sasuke looked up only to see his two friends looking at him with identical expressions of surprise. "What?"

"Shit," Sakura mumbled. "You _are_ in love with him!"

Blinking a few times at her, Sasuke made a face. "Excuse me?"

"Come on, if you spend more time thinking about spending time with him than you do about getting in his pants, that's a sign!" Sakura noted, looking completely shocked. "I've never seen you like this; like, _ever_!"

Sasuke's back stiffed on defensive instinct. There was no way he was in love with Naruto. He liked him, sure, he even admitted to fantasizing a tiny little bit about him, but being in love was something completely different and it brought all sorts of complications to his already chaotic mind.

"No. No-no-no," he said, shaking his head with a small, dry laugh. "You're going down the wrong road here. In love? Please, I'm married. I like Naruto, but it's Karin I'm in love with."

"Then you only want to fuck Naruto?" Sakura persisted relentlessly, causing Neji to sigh tiredly.

"You're not helping, Sakura" he said.

"I don't want to fuck him!" Sasuke hissed, becoming increasingly annoyed.

"Then what _do_ you want from him?" Sakura hissed back, sharp as a knife. "Because, the way I see it, either you're going completely senile, or you're in denial."

"I'm not in denial," Sasuke retorted coolly. "I just admitted to being attracted to him, but that doesn't mean I want to fuck him! Maybe I just want to kiss and touch and simply be around him. I've never been with another guy, Sakura; it doesn't have to revolve around sex."

Sakura rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Knowing you the way I do, and I'm sure Neji agrees, you do have deeper _feelings_ for him. Whether you admit or not is up to you," she grunted out, throwing a long strand of pink hair over her shoulder arrogantly. "So now it's up to you to understand what you want from him, and how will that affect your relationship with Karin."

"Karin has nothing to do with this," Sasuke interjected quickly.

"How can you say that?" Neji inquired, looking at him with a dumbfounded expression. "She's your wife. If you're thinking about someone else, then something has to be wrong with your marriage."

"Nothing's wrong," Sasuke assured with an impatient huff. Why weren't his friends able to understand him? "I love her, there's no doubt about it. My feelings for her and my feelings for Naruto aren't related at all. She gives me everything I want and I don't want to leave her for something that might simply be a fling."

"Then don't," Neji's short but serious reply sounded almost like a command. "Don't risk a healthy relationship for something you're not sure about. It's common sense."

Nibbling on his lower lip, Sasuke closed his eyes, angry and frustrated beyond himself. They didn't understand. He couldn't just…

"I _am_ sure about it," he hissed. "At least some part of it. I know I want something from him. But I don't know how to get it without giving anything up."

Even with his eyes closed, he could feel his friends having some sort of telepathic conversation through eye contact. A warm, soft hand was placed upon the curve of his elbow and he opened his eyes to see Sakura looking at him, her own eyes now filled with compassion.

"Look, I know this has got to be hard on you," she said, choosing a gentler tone of voice. "But you can't have it all, Sasuke."

"Naruto said the same thing," he muttered.

"He's wiser than you, then," the girl said, with a faint smile. "You have three options: Cheat on Karin and risk being overwhelmed by guilt if you're not caught first; get a divorce and be with Naruto, or… just forget about it. If you don't think it's worth it, just tell Naruto that you don't want to lose his friendship and move on. Someone is bound to get hurt anyway, you know it. It's not something you can avoid, considering the situation."

Sasuke all but scowled at words that were wise but that sounded more than a little vain to him at the moment.

"I don't want to cheat on her," he hissed, frowning heavily and feeling himself tremble slightly with the seemingly thousands of different emotions running through him. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I… she means the world to me, and I hate myself for every single time I think about kissing Naruto."

Sakura's eyes were sad, rubbing a thumb over his arm in what was supposed to be a calming gesture. Neither she nor Neji seemed to want to interrupt him anymore.

"But Naruto… He gets to me in ways no-one did before," Sasuke proceeded, bringing one hand up to his chest as if it would alleviate the weight there. "This thing… Maybe I _am_ in love with him, or maybe I'm just overwhelmed. I think so much about us, about_ him_, but my mind is a mess, I don't even know how to be rational."

The blatant and honest confession seemed to surprise Sakura even more.

"Sasuke…"

"I don't know what to do." Now that he had started, he didn't seem to know how to stop. "It's like… I don't want to cheat on Karin, and I'm scared, Sakura. I'm scared of letting everything go because of him and then regretting it. But there's something about him… he's so… fucking perfect without even trying. Not perfect as person, but perfect for me, for the type of person I am. And I've looked for that all my life. I thought that there would never be someone like Karin."

Sakura seemed to have lost the ability to breathe, her eyes shining with unshed tears for him, and Sasuke hated the compassionate look, hated that that it only reinforced the fact that, no matter how you looked at it, he was in deep shit. Still, it felt good to not only talk about it, but to also express his true feelings regarding Naruto. Even Neji's eyes on him were heavy and solemn now, a new dimension to Sasuke's issue making itself known. No-one seemed all that willing to touch their food anymore.

"I want to let go, but I can't simply walk away from him," Sasuke finished, heaving a sigh that felt painful in his chest. "I'll kill myself thinking about what could've been. I don't want that regret either. Maybe I'm misunderstanding everything and it's all about lust and me wanting to fuck him. If that is so, I should just indulge once and get it off my system just to get it all over with."

Neji's hand was quick to reach for his shoulder, startling him.

"Don't," he said, shaking his head from side to side looking at Sasuke intensely. "You'll only hurt Naruto. From what you've told us, he seems to really like you. Unlike you, his mind is clear, and being single, he has nothing to worry about, so his heart is completely focused on you."

Sasuke bit his lip. Of course he knew that. He knew that Naruto was more than willing to jump into whatever it was that was happening between them without a second thought and let fate carry them towards whatever it was that would become of them. He didn't have a wife like Sasuke did, didn't have conservative parents that were likely to react negatively if he'd ever suddenly decided he wanted to be with another man.

Sasuke knew that, if he said yes, Naruto would give his everything and change his life completely because he was that kind of person. Toying with his feelings would break him, and no matter what he thought or what he had said, Sasuke knew he didn't want to hurt him.

Eyeing Neji back helplessly, he silently begged for _something. _He needed something, some kind of solution, some kind of exit to his despair because he couldn't deal with things the way they were, he'd go crazy.

"Look…" Neji said, with a soft sigh, massaging his shoulder in a clumsy way that wasn't comforting at all. "I can't make your decisions for you. But if you're not sure about it, maybe you should just… take a step back, just like Sakura was saying. You're like a teenager with his first crush. You don't even know how you feel. Maybe you just need time away from him and his feelings. Maybe you just need to clear your head, be away from him for a while. Maybe your feelings will reveal themselves and you'll find out you were just being impulsive."

Sasuke made a face, almost growling in frustration. Didn't his friend listen to a fucking word he had said? Didn't he pay attention to what he wanted, to what he didn't want, to how he fucking _felt_? He opened his mouth to protest, only to close it again when Neji's hand squeezed his shoulder firmly, shaking him a bit for emphasis, as if hoping that the gesture would force him to put his feet back on the ground.

"You have a great relationship with Karin, something so many people look for and some never find," Neji stated, and the steady, wise and so abhorrently rational way he said it made Sasuke feel naïve and cornered. "I wouldn't give that up for anything, not when you've fought so hard to build what you have with her, not when it was so hard for you to open up your heart. You barely know him, Sasuke. You just don't know how to respond to automatically liking another person, and that's fine. But while it feels like so much right now, in a few weeks it may be gone."

Sasuke blinked at Neji, feeling even more at loss than before.

Neji was right, undoubtedly. Sasuke admitted that this was all new, that he had no experience whatsoever in liking people so quickly, let alone feeling attracted to them _and_ having them feeling the same way about him. He knew he was way out of his comfort zone and that all of it fascinated him and made him hungry for more. He knew he couldn't possibly look at himself and Naruto objectively, thus the reason why he had come to his friends for help, and still, he had predicted their reactions and their words, which didn't made it any easier to swallow. He had hoped that, if he expressed his distress, they would offer another kind of advice. Either that, or he was just hoping they would encourage him to pursue Naruto. But they hadn't, not even Sakura, in spite of her never having liked Karin all that much.

"It'll be alright," Sakura said, offering him a small, hesitant smile. "You'll see."

Looking down at his plate, Sasuke scowled. Somehow he highly doubted that.

000

It was six in the morning on Monday, and after yet another sleepless night, Sasuke stood on the balcony of his bedroom, still dressed in his pajama pants and a t-shirt, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. It was still dark and the air was chilly, but his mind was too troubled and his body didn't seem to feel the cold.

With his arms resting on the irony rail, he looked down at his mobile phone, his eyes staring at Naruto's number. He could hear the shower running behind him in the bathroom of their room and Karin humming some silly pop song, completely out of tune.

As Naruto had requested of him, he had thought about them really hard. In fact, it seemed like thinking about the other male was all he had been able to do during those two days. The problem was, it hadn't really helped him in any way and he was still as lost and torn as he had been from the very beginning.

His friends had been honest and objective, as he had expected them to be. They hadn't been wrong in the things they had said, he knew it, but they weren't Sasuke; they didn't know what he was going through, neither did they understand that things weren't so easily solved as they thought.

If he could just dismiss his feelings for Naruto, he would've done it without a second thought. But, while he thought he could've lived with them without acknowledging them before, now that it was clear that what he and Naruto had was mutual, he couldn't simply ignore it. Who could possibly ignore an elephant just sitting in a cramped room? Who could look away when they know that the object of their affections wants them just as much?

If anything, hearing Naruto's words had only made Sasuke want him more. Like the opening of an unknown door, the possibilities were endless, and to have Naruto willingly waiting for him with open arms…

Seriously, who could _not_ want it? Who could not want to have a taste of something like that?

But there was just so much at stake, and as much as it pained him to admit, he was scared like he'd never been in his entire life.

Chewing on his lower lip, Sasuke debated on whether to call Naruto or not. More than wanting to talk about them, he felt like he was driving himself crazy the more he thought about him. Not only that, the more thinking he did, the more it was making him yearn for the blond.

Sasuke didn't even know what he expected to accomplish when he pressed the call button and brought the phone to his ear. The way his heart sped up in anticipation made him feel nauseous, and he wasn't even sure if Naruto would pick up since it was still too early. Calling at such an ungodly hour wasn't a very polite thing to do, now that he thought about it. Naruto was probably asleep, so it was likely that he'd be mad at Sasuke for waking him up.

Two 'beeps' later and Sasuke was ready to hang up, but in the middle of the third one, he picked up.

_"Sasuke,"_ Naruto's greeting voice was steady and very much awake, which shouldn't be surprising, and yet, Sasuke wasn't sure how much this was somehow either reassuring or worrying. however, hearing Naruto's voice made his breath hitch and his heart feel more at ease. _"Good morning."_

"Good morning," Sasuke greeted lowly. Unnecessarily, he added "Did I wake you?"

_"Nah, I was already tossing around in bed, I'm not sleepy anymore."_

Throwing his cigarette to the streets below, Sasuke swallowed hard. "Okay..."

Neither said anything else for a while until Naruto apparently grew uncomfortable and cleared his throat.

_"So..."_ he said, in an obvious false casual tone. _"How was the weekend?"_

"It was... long," Sasuke replied, feeling his muscles tense involuntarily, his free hand grasping the rail intensely. "Naruto, I..."

Unsure of what he wanted to say, he closed his mouth. He had no idea why he had called his friend in the first place, only that the urge to do so had led him to it, but now he felt stupid.

_"I'm right here,"_ Naruto said gently, sensing his distress. _"Talk to me."_

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke closed his eyes, feeling his body shake for reasons that had nothing to do with the cold. "Karin is taking a shower. I don't... I can't…"

_"I see."_

"I just... wanted to talk to you," Sasuke admitted, in barely a whisper. "My head is a mess."

_"I told you, you don't have to kill yourself over it."_

"Yeah, because it's that easy..."

_"It hasn't been easy for me either,"_ Naruto admitted back, sighing so sweetly it made Sasuke's stomach flip at the memory of lips whispering in his ear. _"I'm glad you called, though. I was almost going nuts thinking about you."_

Sasuke closed his eyes, his chin connecting with his chest. He felt so stupid at the moment, because every time Naruto said something out of context it made him feel so pleased and warm inside, and yet, these feelings never failed to make him feel miserable because he knew he shouldn't feel them. "Why do you always say such things?" he asked, in a tired whisper.

_"Say what?"_ Naruto replied easily. _"That I miss you? That I spend every waking hour thinking about you? That talking to you makes me feel happier than I've been during the whole weekend? I promised myself I wouldn't hide the way I feel anymore."_

Sasuke removed his hand from the rail and placed it over his chest. Such a gesture seemed to have become frequent, but then again, so did his lack of oxygen.

"Naruto…"

_"Just thinking about how I'm going to see you later today makes me happy."_

Why did Naruto have to replicate everything he felt? Why couldn't he just be another guy? Why couldn't it just be one-sided? If Naruto didn't feel this way about him, Sasuke was sure his life would've been easier.

"You don't know me," he said, trying to steady his breathing.

_"My heart does,"_ was Naruto's simple answer. _"That's all I need to know."_

"And you trust your heart?" Sasuke inquired quietly. "Even if it ends up hurting you?"

There was the small hint of a smile on Naruto's voice now. _"Always. I'd rather be hurt than to pass up on the chance to feel the way I feel."_

Sasuke couldn't reply to that. He only wished he could be as brave as Naruto, or at least to be able to afford it.

"God," he groaned, rubbing his face with his hand in frustration. "Fuck…"

_"Listen,"_ Naruto replied, again using that gentle voice of his. _"I told you to think about it, but we have time, Sasuke. We can get to know each other better. Just because we like each other it doesn't mean that we have to act upon it so soon. I'd never force you to do something you're uncomfortable with, and like I said, I don't want you to cheat on your wife."_ Sasuke swallowed hard, Naruto's words soothing him slightly. _"Can't we just… enjoy this for what it is, for now? Please? Don't look at it like it's some sort of disease when it's not. It a good thing, Sasuke; it's new and it's ours. We'll take one step at the time so you can figure things out for yourself, and if things get complicated, then we'll see how we can deal with it. Don't mix this with your marriage. Technically, there's nothing going on between us, so there's no need for you to think about unnecessary stuff. Okay?"_

It sounded so simple, so easy, and while Sasuke knew that it wasn't a solution, and neither was it one that completely made him feel satisfied – not that he knew which solution was – it provided some peace to his troubled mind more than anything else.

"Okay…" he said quietly. Just then, he heard the shower being turned off and sighed. "I have to go."

_"Alright,"_ Naruto said understandingly. _"See ya later?"_

"Yeah…"

_"Get some sleep, Sasuke."_

"You too."

Talking to Naruto was always something that made him feel torn. The glee he felt was equal only to the pain it brought, and yet, Sasuke was never more at peace in a distorted way. Hanging up the phone call was a hard task, but he knew he had to leave that dream world he shared with Naruto and go back to his reality.

_"Sasuke, what are you doing, it's freezing out there!"_ Karin's worried voice said from behind him, from inside their room. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, Sasuke turned around and entered the house. He slid the glass door closed and leaned against it. From across the room, Karin had her back to him and was rummaging through their wardrobe with only a towel wrapping around her curvy frame, droplets of water falling from her vivid red hair and rolling down pale skin that Sasuke knew to be soft as silk.

Karin was an attractive woman, no matter how you looked at it. As she removed the towel from around her body and let it fall to the ground, Sasuke allowed his eyes to roam over her lean and naked figure, watching attentively the gentle curve of her hips and the round, firm shape of her buttocks. Just like Sasuke himself, she liked to work out, so to say that she was in perfect shape was an understatement. Karin was the kind of woman who could pull off any kind of outfit she wanted, because everything about her was just proportional with just the right amount of breasts, just the right width of shoulders, just the right size of curvy hips. It had taken him a while to feel sexual attraction towards her, but them starting a relationship had helped, and she was always interesting in bed – or anywhere, really – to say the least,

Looking at her now made Sasuke understand that his marriage as it was wasn't being compromised by his situation with Naruto because, if he wanted it, he could easily go to her and start messing around – he'd have no problem getting hard. He still had feelings for her, after all, he still cherished her and the relationship they had. It was really relieving to know that he was still able to separate his feelings so neatly in spite of everything that had happened in the last few weeks.

Crossing his arms, he licked his lips. Maybe Naruto was right and he didn't have to make such a big drama. Even if he knew that the way he felt for Karin and the way he felt for Naruto were two, very different things, in his mind, he was always scared that the two might influence each other and disrupt the natural balance of both relationships. If he learned how to cope with it, at least for a while, maybe he could actually enjoy his days without feeling so helpless and frustrated.

Yes, he thought, nodding to himself. If he really embraced what was happening with Naruto instead of just worrying, maybe he could actually feel less frustrated and not think so much about Naruto whenever he went home to Karin. Maybe he could be with Naruto without cheating but at the same time give himself the chance to actually go back to enjoying the other male's company without fear.

Maybe, just maybe as time went by, he could find the answer he was seeking in order to actually make a decision. If Naruto was willing to be patient, then he would make use of his good will.

"Instead of ogling my ass, you should just get here and feel it already." Karin's teasing tone took him out of his musings. She was now turned to him, her hand over her hip, already wearing a silky dark blue bra with matching knickers that were terribly flattering in their lacy sexiness. She had the most amazing set of breasts, too, and Sasuke sure had seen his share back in the day.

In spite of himself, Sasuke smirked at her. "Tease me some more and I'll make sure you'll be late for work."

She smiled back, a mischievous look bringing a gleam to her cherry-colored eyes. She approached the bed between them and climbed on it on her hands and knees. "Well, I do have to make it up to you for always waking up early to keep me company whenever I have to work this particular shift," she replied, with a seductive jiggle of her rear. "I won't be late if we make it quick?"

Well, Sasuke thought to himself. He was definitely a lucky guy as far as his marriage was concerned, wasn't he? Most of the times all he had to do was watch Karin more intently and she'd always be ready and willing for sex on the spot, unless she was sick or at that time of the month. How many guys could say the same about their wives, no matter how young they were?

Pushing all thoughts of things that had plagues him during the weekend, he smoothly uncrossed his arms and made his way towards the bed.

TBC…

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_Fireflyingfox: It was an intense chapter, wasn't it? Sorry that this one seems a bit lame in comparison, but it was necessary evil. Things will become interesting from now on, so don't worry about it ;)_

_Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I think it's cute that you find it 'elegant', that is such an interesting term to use to describe it ;)_

_Kit: Thank you so much, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far!_

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I'm sorry this took so long to update, but I was sick with Bronchitis over the past week and the fever didn't really make it possible for me to spend a lot of time in front of the computer, not to mention I wasn't really in the mood to write.

Soooo, Sakura and Neji huh? Poor Sasuke, I feel bad for him because he is being so misunderstood. And Karin! I was going to write more of her, but the chapter was becoming way too long, and I couldn't. Also, I decided to purposefully cut back on the Het. Lol.

Next chapter, Naruto and Sasuke find new dynamics in what's supposed to be a new stage of their relationship. Look forward to it! **Thank you all for the amazing feedback, I love you all, my faithful followers!**

**Review?**


	9. Chapter Nine: One Step Forward

**A/N: **I will reply to the rest of the reviews tomorrow, I promise! I've been really busy this week, so I basically wrote this today in a few hours. I just wanted to update as fast as possible, but I'll get in touch with you as soon as I can!

This chapter was… something I needed to write. A few things happened during these last few days, and yesterday I saw someone I hadn't seen for a long time – someone dear to me – and we had this very deep, philosophical talk about life and love that only made me feel all the more confident that I'm doing the right thing with Sasuke's feelings.

Love is so strange. Love is like… the weirdest, most complicated feeling in the whole world sometimes, and I don't think a single person in the world can claim to actually know how it truly works. Because love takes so many forms and is expressed in so many different ways…

This being said, this chapter is kind of a reflection of that talk, in a weird way. I couldn't explain it if I tried, so… hopefully you'll like it.

Not betaed. Sorry for the typos.

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**It's Not Fair**

**Chapter Nine: One Step Forward**

Seeing Naruto that day was like an out of body experience for Sasuke after such an emotionally turbulent weekend. It seemed like, no matter how many days passed or how many times the same scene would play out, he could never get used to the way his heart chose to pound so powerfully in his chest every time he set eyes on his blond co-worker. It wasn't something he could explain, and he was unsure if it was an unpleasant feeling or one of the best things he had ever experienced, emotionally-wise. He didn't like the way he felt sick to his stomach, but at the same time, there was that tingling feeling that ran over him from head to toe, and that wonderful warmth that filled him all over, all of it amazing.

Just seeing Naruto's joyful face made Sasuke happy. Happiness shouldn't be something so trivial, so easy to achieve, and yet, Sasuke found it whenever he saw that smile and those lively, oh-so amazing blue eyes.

The Teacher's Lounge was packed by the time he got there, so he couldn't really walk over to Naruto to talk to him, since he was already surrounded by some of their colleagues. Of course, his visual focus was all on Sasuke the moment he entered the room, and the smile he threw him was big enough to make Sasuke forget his own name for a few seconds.

A little dazed, the Uchiha, made his way to where Genma and Shikamaru were standing together and looking positively bored. Apparently, since it was only a few weeks till the end of the school year, everybody seemed to be making plans for a big farewell party or something of the sort. From what Sasuke could gather, some of them wanted to ask the headmaster if they could borrow the school for a night, while others thought it to be best if they all went out for dinner and drinks.

Sasuke was thankful that the two male Music teachers were close to his very treasured coffee machine. He poured himself a cup, refraining from offering them coffee since they were each holding their own cup.

"Damn, I don't want to go to no farewell party or whatever," Shikamaru sighed on Sasuke's right side, as the three of them leaned on the cabinet and watched the commotion around them. "It's just a stupid excuse for people to make out for no apparent reason with other people they supposedly don't even like."

"Well, that's not the bad part of it, is it?" Genma teased beside Shikamaru, elbowing him playfully. "We could even get lucky, Shika. It's actually the forced socialization I'm not too fond of. And the fact that I have to spend money I could be saving for another drum set."

"You're such a cheapskate," Sasuke said, leaning over so he could see Genma over Shikamaru, smirking a bit. "I thought you'd be thrilled to have an excuse to get drunk."

"Ah, you think so lowly of me, Uchiha?" Genma retorted, smirking back amicably. "Whatever these fuckers decide to do, I'm game if you guys are. I'm definitely not going to throw myself to the lions' den all by myself."

Shikamaru sighed yet again, slurping loudly on his coffee. "We'll see."

Sasuke took a sip from his own mug, his gaze landing on a familiar mane of sunny hair. Naruto was cheerfully talking to Temari and TenTen, gesticulating wildly and making both women laugh. Even though Sasuke couldn't hear what was being said over the loud chatter all around the room, he couldn't help but to smile a bit at the spray of energy that radiated from him.

When the bell rang, signaling the start of classes, everybody made their orderly way out towards their respective classrooms. At some point, Naruto managed to catch up with Sasuke, as usual, and they shared a brief, silent look between them. The halls were packed with teachers and helpers barking out orders and kids running around, yelling and laughing.

A firm, but gentle hand was placed at the small of Sasuke's back. It wasn't meant to be an intimate gesture, but it made his body tense all the same for all the right reasons. It felt reassuring to finally have Naruto so close, and really, after two days of longing, the contact felt like a small blessing.

"Wanna hang out later?" Naruto asked naturally, smiling a bit.

"I'd like to, but I can't," Sasuke replied, his hands restless inside the pockets of his jeans. "My brother is visiting. Family reunion dinner and all that."

If Naruto was disheartened by this, he didn't show it, his hand lingering on Sasuke for longer than what would be considered necessary. "Okay, then," he said, nodding. "Then, can I at least walk you to the station?"

Sasuke managed to open his mouth to agree, but then Naruto's proximity abandoned him completely, and all he could see was his friend being literally projected forward after being violently tackled by one of his younger students. It was a tiny red haired girl that was now hanging from Naruto's neck, her small legs wrapping around his torso, her body glued to his back. Naruto stopped in his tracks, a bit taken aback by the assault, and so did Sasuke.

"Naruto, I have makeup on!" The girl chirped jovially in her childish, cute voice. Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "Do I look pretty?"

"That sounds great, Midori, but I can't see your face," Naruto said with a laugh, his hands coming behind him to support the girl. She was so adorable she looked like a little porcelain doll, Sasuke noticed. Her lips had a rosier tone than normal and there was a light brown eye shadow on her eyelids. She was hugging Naruto's neck tightly, smiling radiantly. "You are my prince charming and should carry me to your castle! It's made of gold, isn't it? Because my prince charming has to be rich!"

"Sure," Naruto said, turning to Sasuke and winking at him while grinning. "My castle has lots of books and crayons, and little flutes made of gold that I expect my princess to know how to play correctly sometime in the near future."

"Noooo, my servants should play the flute for me!" the child – Midori – said, pointing at other children that were quickly gathering around Naruto and looking smug. "Look guys, I'm Naruto's princess!"

"No, _I_ am Naruto's princess!" another girl whined, grabbing the blonde's leg and tugging on his pants.

"No, you're one of my servants!" Midori exclaimed, sticking her tongue out.

"I'm not a servant!" a boy said, sounding offended. "And Naruto can't be your prince, he's too old! Your mom will be mad at you for saying that."

Sasuke actually had to conceal his chuckle behind his hand as the growing pile of kids that surrounded Naruto started arguing about princesses and castles and who was a servant and who wasn't. Naruto rolled his eyes at Sasuke and actually had the decency of looking apologetic as another girl tackled his front, hugging him from the neck and yelling an excited "I wanna be carried, too!"

"'I'll see you later, Naruto," Sasuke said with condescendence. "I'll wait for you outside."

"Please, do," Naruto replied hopefully, trying not to fall with the weight of the kids around him.

Sasuke proceeded to go on his way to another hall, feeling strangely endeared, as he always did, by the love those kids had for his co-worker and by Naruto's extreme patience. Some of Sasuke's students also tackled him from time to time, but since Sasuke was usually a moody person, they didn't try it every day, and neither would he allow it or he was sure he'd never have the right posture to keep them in line anymore.

But he didn't feel jealous of Naruto's aptitude with the kids anymore. Sasuke didn't want to be a teacher his whole life, so he had literally no interest in being at Naruto's level in that department.

Still, he liked to watch him from the sidelines and appreciate how Naruto's natural light seemed to draw everybody to him and make them love him without a lot of effort. Now, he simply appreciated him for who he was. Naruto had taught him so much and showed him so many things about being human… even if it was turning Sasuke's life and the way he saw the world completely upside down, the truth was, the dark-haired male was deeply thankful for having met him and for all the wonderful, albeit twisted things he forced him to experience.

Naruto never once tried to change him, and yet, he was, and the strangest thing was, Sasuke was actually going along with it, and willingly so.

Knowing that he was probably taking a journey he wouldn't know how to return from was something Sasuke still didn't know how he felt about. But that was what he was more than anxious to find out.

000

At the end of the day Naruto and Sasuke walked side by side towards the train station. Sasuke always felt guilty about letting his friend waste his time walking with him, but at the same time, his selfish side enjoyed Naruto's company and relished in knowing that the other male wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

They were abnormally close to each other, their arms bumping more often than not. Sasuke would usually have a cigarette dangling from his lips by then, but now that he knew Naruto wasn't exactly a smoker, he didn't really feel like smoking, and neither did he wish to tempt the other to do it. Even if Naruto smoking again because of him was flattering in a way, Sasuke didn't want him to harm himself because of it.

Looking at Naruto, he noticed the blond looking back at him. He seemed torn between smiling and an odd seriousness that was brought on by hesitance, mixed with that familiar wonder that made Sasuke feel rather exclusive.

"You really are pretty," Naruto said, completely out of the blue. Sasuke frowned heavily at the choice of words, so when he looked away and started walking faster, Naruto seemed to realize he had probably said something not very proper. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that!" he corrected apologetically, easily falling into step with the Uchiha.

It was a compliment, Sasuke knew, and it made him feel both stupid and giddy, but 'pretty' wasn't exactly an adjective he liked being directed at him.

"Then what _did_ you mean?" Sasuke hissed, his natural defensive side causing him to sound dry.

"I don't know which word to use, so I just… used Midori's word," Naruto replied, quickly. "I don't know how to compliment another guy, Sasuke. I never had such thoughts about another man, so I don't really know how to say something nice without sounding… well… stupid and…"

"Gay?" Sasuke offered, rolling his eyes, even if he could relate to his dilemma. "Because calling me 'pretty' is so manly."

Naruto sighed and placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder to make him stop. Sasuke turned to him in exasperation, not really knowing how to feel in times like this.

"Tell me how I should compliment you, then," Naruto asked, sincerely. "Because I want to. I always want to, but I don't know how to."

Sasuke didn't know where his annoyance had come from, or why it was dissipated so easily by Naruto's honest tone. He didn't know how to feel sometimes, because they were both guys, and even though that fact was pretty obvious, some dark part of him seemed to fear that Naruto would want to push that detail aside and deal with him like he would deal with a girl. It was a silly way to think, but sometimes, it seemed, Sasuke's subconscious wanted to find reasons for him to be annoyed at Naruto, even with things that made him happy.

Truth was, he often wanted to tell Naruto how he felt and how he looked to him, but these things were usually the main catalysts of the sort of intensity between them that Sasuke was still trying to adapt to, so he didn't feel confident enough to go there yet, and definitely not outdoors, in public.

Not to say that he didn't like that intensity or that he wasn't eager to test it somewhere in the near future, because, really, every moment with Naruto felt like walking on thin glass. Sasuke had a very good idea of how things might turn out once it broke, but that only made the path towards it sound all the more appealing to him.

Knowing that he felt this way pained him, though. He had just made love to Karin that same morning, all the while trying to bask in everything that he knew, on how he felt when he was with her, inside her, trying to find something greater than what he felt for Naruto, something unique, just… that little something that made more sense, that was just so much more, but… he couldn't grasp it. It wasn't like he felt less for her now than he did before, but somehow, it felt off. Sure, it had been good, and sexy, and everything he was used to, but…

Why was there always a 'but'? Sex was supposed to feel good. After so many years of being together, it was only normal that it felt familiar and somewhat predictable. He already knew every corner of Karin's body, what she liked and what she didn't like. They knew each other so well they understood when to give in when the other needed to be in charge so the other could feel loved and accomplished. It always felt good.

For the first time ever, though, Sasuke had wondered about what it would feel like to have Naruto underneath him instead. In his rational mind, he knew it would always feel different because Naruto was male, but he hadn't been able to stop his mind from wondering and wandering. Would Naruto submit to him, or would he want to take the lead instead? Would Naruto be loud and eager, or quietly responsive? If they had sex, would they even take things slowly, experimentally, or would they lose themselves in a wave of lust and desperation?

And when Sasuke came to, in the middle of making love to his wife, to realize that he had been fantasizing about sex with Naruto, he had felt lost and more than a little guilty. Relating Naruto to actual sex wasn't something he had exactly thought about up until that point, and having it happen when he was with Karin had been quite a shock to Sasuke. Needless to say that he had felt rather miserable about it, too.

He didn't understand why the conflicting emotions inside him had to be so fucking tiring.

"I don't know," he said, honestly, shrugging. "Just… don't. I'm a guy, I don't really need my ego being fed with bullshit."

"It's not bullshit," Naruto contradicted, as if Sasuke implying it was offensive to him. "I do think you're very attractive. I mean… every time I look at you, I just…"

"Naruto," Sasuke interrupted firmly, shaking his head from side to side. His muscles felt like jelly, but his expression remained stern, one hand moving to be placed upon Naruto's on his shoulder. "I'm serious. Don't. Not now; not here."

Realization dawned on Naruto as his eyes became wider. He swallowed hard and simply nodded, his cheeks gaining an appealing pinkish hue. Sasuke grabbed his hand and squeezed it, looking deeply into those depths of sapphire blue as if they could provide some form of answer. Naruto scared him beyond reason, but that only made Sasuke all the more eager to conquer that fear, because that was the kind of person he was. He never backed down, never cowered up, and if there was something he really, truly wanted, he would get it, no matter what – it was in his blood.

_Don't look at it like it's some sort of disease when it's not. It a good thing, Sasuke; it's new and it's ours._

_Indeed, _Sasuke thought, refraining for smiling because he knew it would be sad.

They were relatively distanced from the school and the commotion of parents and children, so Sasuke felt that it was safe to bring Naruto's hands to his mouth, his lips softly brushing over knuckles that were anything but delicate. He watched his friend's reaction closely, noticing that Naruto looked even more surprised at that, swallowing hard in evident embarrassment and fascination. The blond was usually very expressive and confident, but sometimes, he looked so young and easily flustered Sasuke wanted to tease him into oblivion. Times like these made him realize the effect he had on his friend, and his heart would refuse to focus on anything else. It made him believe that Sakura was probably right when she said he was in love.

Letting the hand fall, Sasuke intertwined their fingers together, enjoying how Naruto accepted the action so easily as he stared at him in that way that expressed just how much he felt but didn't voice.

Why was everything so easy between them? And why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't they have met before? It brought a bitter taste to his mouth that he felt sure that, had he met Naruto before ever meeting Karin, he would've probably never have been involved with her in the first place. If he was single at that moment, he was sure that he and Naruto wouldn't be in this impasse any longer.

If he really was in love with Naruto, then… what could he do? How could he know that, as Neji had said, it wasn't just some crush or just them both being overwhelmed by each other? What if they didn't fit as lovers? What if Naruto ended up finding some girl and fell for her at some point? What if what they felt faded away once everything stopped being a novelty?

Sasuke didn't want to think about it. It hurt too much to think that he'd ever lose the way Naruto made him feel or the way Naruto felt for him. But that was why he was so scared of simply letting Karin go for something so uncertain.

But, if there was something the weekend had taught him was that Naruto's existence was something he could no longer dismiss, because he liked him that much.

"I have to go," Sasuke said impassively, even if his fingers caressed Naruto's, even if he wanted nothing more than to hold him and quell that stupid, irrational longing. "I can't miss the train."

Naruto swallowed hard again but nodded, slowly. "Yeah, okay."

With their hands linked, they quietly made the rest of their way towards the train station, oblivious to anything but each other. The gentle tension was welcomed but strained.

As he usually did, Naruto walked him to the platform, but there was still five minutes until Sasuke's train arrived so, even though it was rush hour and the place was filled with people, they found a little corner behind a tall lamp and waited there, with their backs against the wall. It wasn't like they were doing anything out of the ordinary, but a few individuals had thrown nasty looks their way because of their linked hands and both felt self-conscious – not that it had made them release each other.

"So…" Naruto started in his innocent way after a couple of minutes, looking at his feet. They were side by side, their arms crushed together. Sasuke kept his other hand stubbornly inside his pocket. He felt so good like that, just basking in Naruto's closeness that his body seemed to be having issues coping with it. His hands – both of them – itched to touch more, to put a stop to that frustrating hunger. He had craved for Naruto for two whole days; had craved for his voice, for his presence, for his touch, and now he was there, sharing that thing that was theirs and it was as agonizing as being away from him. "I really want to spend more time with you, so I was wondering if… maybe you'd want to have lunch with me tomorrow, at my place? We'll cook something and then go to work together?"

Sasuke struggled to make his throat work. "I thought you said you lived with your Godfather."

Naruto turned his face to him and smiled briefly before shrugging. "Kind of. But he won't bother us, I promise."

Sasuke's eyes were unblinking as they stared into Naruto's. He had no idea if being alone at Naruto's place – away from everything and everybody – was a wonderful idea, or a terrible one. It was definitely interesting, that was for sure.

"Alright," he ended up agreeing, without giving it much thought.

Naruto turned to him, leaning his shoulder on the wall and frowning a bit in worry. Entranced, Sasuke watched as his free hand came up to touch his face, the touch warm, slightly sweaty but affectionate in its uncertainty. With his heart pounding in his ears, he didn't stop himself from nuzzling his cheek in the inviting palm. Naruto caught his breath as he watched him, a slightly dazed look causing his eyes to darken.

"Sasuke…" his voice was low and raspy. "I… we're good, aren't we? A lot's been happening, and I don't really understand what's going on in your mind right now, but it feels… being here with you feels different, and I don't know exactly what I should do, or how to interpret it…"

A voice filled the air, announcing the arrival of Sasuke's train and cutting the rest of Naruto's sentence.

Sasuke, for his part, felt something within him shatter and come together all in the space of less than a second. All he knew was that he felt like he was falling, the sudden surge of adrenaline taking him by surprise and rushing through him from head to toe as if he was in a rollercoaster, at some high point, waiting to descend at full speed.

They were going to part again.

In spite of his previous reservations, before he knew what had possessed him, he was leaning forward and brusquely pressing his mouth to Naruto's, only slightly aware of the muffled sound of shock coming from the other. It wasn't more than a smooch that lasted for about three seconds, but that was enough time for Naruto to find his composure because he pressed his mouth back, just as forcibly, but it was clear that neither really knew what to do or how to react to such an unexpected turn of events. Sasuke was too riled up by the fact that he was kind of kissing Naruto and just couldn't find a steady mind to do it properly.

The train was approaching rapidly, noise filling his ears, so he pulled back for air for just a second before Naruto's hand pulled his face closer and lips descended clumsily over his again in a clear demand for more. Their hands were still linked, but Sasuke pulled the other male close by the collar of his sweater so that their chests could be pressed together. They pecked once, twice, thrice in a noisy and wet frenzy, like inexperienced kids before Sasuke managed to suck on Naruto's lower lip. He received a whimper in return, but at the same time, they both managed to finally process the action of moving their mouths so that their lips could slide over each other, still with too much force and too much eagerness.

It felt weird and painful. It felt new, crazy and horrible, all at the same time. It was probably the worst make out session ever, but Naruto's mouth still felt like heaven, and the uncoordinated kiss like a gift from the gods to placate both their restless spirits. The intensity, the things they were trying to convey to each other were well worth the shock and the way it was all so perfect and disastrous. It didn't bother Sasuke at all, and from the other's enthusiasm, it didn't bother Naruto either. It wasn't so much a kiss as it was an assault of lips and teeth – greedy and uncontrolled, but heart-wrenchingly innocent.

The train stopped in front of them and the distinct sound of doors hissing open made Sasuke jump. He leaned back, feeling dizzy and flustered and barely able to register anything about Naruto's face other than the fact that he was panting and that his skin seemed to be radiating heat.

"I have to… the train…" Sasuke breathed, only to be kissed again. Bliss coursed through him. It wasn't fair, he really needed to…

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at ten," Naruto muttered hurriedly against his lips, squeezing Sasuke's hand and stroking his jaw possessively. "Call me later? Please?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied breathlessly. He pressed his mouth to Naruto's one last time in one single deep, rough kiss and pried himself completely away until their bodies were no longer in contact. He shivered at the lack of heat, but Naruto's hand was still holding his, reluctant to let go. Sasuke took one last look at his face, flushed red and lips pleasantly swollen. He looked like he was in cloud nine, and Sasuke bit down hard on his own lip, briefly wondering if he should just wait for the next train instead and see if they could find a way to properly kiss each other. It was all so stupid, but his heart was filled with joy and excitement – relief, also – for finally having broken down yet another barrier between them.

Naruto eventually let go of his hand and Sasuke decided to run. After all, his parents were strict on punctuality, and he wasn't sure if his heart could take being with Naruto much longer.

He got inside the already packed train, breathing hard and still feeling like the world was spinning out of control under his feet. He still wanted to see Naruto, though, so he turned around only to find bright blue eyes right in front of him. He was surprised when he was kissed, yet again, and this time, it was gentle and caring, filled with some hidden meaning.

_"The doors are about to close. Please, remain distanced from the safety line," a_ female robotic voice announced, and a second later, they were parting again with a loud smacking noise and Naruto was jumping backwards and out of the train, stumbling and almost falling on his ass just in time before the two mechanical doors slid closed. Sasuke hurried to the doors to look outside and check if his friend was alright. He found Naruto standing, still breathing obviously hard but wearing the biggest, goofiest smile Sasuke had ever seen him sport. Sasuke had never seen him look so silly, stunning and alive.

Naruto waved at him energetically just as the train slowly began moving and Sasuke all but pressed both his hands to the glass in front of him, smiling back weakly. Euphoric, but desolated, he watched as Naruto was left behind and let his head fall until his forehead was resting against the back of his left hand.

It took several seconds for the adrenaline to subside and for his legs to stop shaking. His body felt incredibly light. He realized his lips were now a bit dry so he ran his tongue over them, involuntarily catching a distinct taste – Naruto's taste. Well, not all of it, just of Naruto's lips, but it was enough to fill his senses with something he definitely liked.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had done it; he had kissed Naruto. And fuck, it had been so awkward it was embarrassing. But it had also been something sort of amazing in an unexpected way. Not that he had idealized a first kiss between himself and the blond, but his fantasies had certainly been a little… sexier, to say the least. Still, Sasuke found himself letting out a muffled, helpless snicker. He hadn't been able to help himself, and he had acted on instinct, and clumsy or not, it was done and it had been somewhat special. They were both to blame for the fiasco, at least. Naruto had still been elated, and that alone made Sasuke feel accomplished enough.

He straightened up and arranged his clothes and his bag over his shoulder. Absently, he took a look around and noticed that several pairs of eyes were glued to him, the youngest curious, others patronizing, while others looked reproachful and disgusted. Some people, though, preferred to act like they hadn't noticed anything, focusing on their own things, like their books or mobile phones.

Sasuke heaved a long sigh. Of course, as romantic and ridiculous that little scene had been in his mind, he had still kissed another man in public, _of course _he was bound to get weird looks. He wasn't used to it, though, and it made him feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

He leaned his shoulder on the door again and ran a hand through his hair.

There was no doubt in his mind that he was burying himself in deep shit, and yet, there was something that made him want to know how much deeper he could go before it consumed him and he could no longer dig himself out. That was exactly the pull Naruto had on him. Kissing him only made Sasuke realize that what they had was something he had been looking for his whole life – something he hadn't known he needed so ferociously before – and no admonishing words from Neji or Sakura could make him need it any less.

He knew there was no turning back for him now, but his uncertainties were still the same. He didn't want to risk everything, didn't want to cheat on Karin and didn't want to ruin his or Naruto's life. But could he really do things properly when his own moral values seemed to be constantly shattered whenever Naruto was around?

Sasuke took a shaky breath and crossed his arms over his chest tightly.

_One day at the time with Naruto…_

TBC…

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**_Guest:_**_ Thank you for loving the turmoil, because it isn't over yet ;) And, well, Naruto was never able to tell if Sasuke had sex or not, and I don't think that it's really relevant, you know? Sasuke and Karin are a couple, it's not like Sasuke is cheating on Naruto, is it? Or maybe he is on some level, depending on the perspective ;)_

**_XYZ:_**_ Thank you so much! I live as a writer to overwhelm my readers with my crazy writing! I hope this chapter continued to awe you ;)_

**_Fireflyingfox:_**_ Does this chapter make up for the lack of intensity on the previous one? I hope it does. Hehe. Well, if Sasuke gets involved with Naruto physically and even more emotionally, I suppose he will be cheating on Naruto as well… sort of. Some people don't think that kissing is considered cheating, just like some couples have open relationships and are never really officially 'together'. We«ll just have to see where Sasuke and Naruto go after this ;)_

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Next chapter, Itachi gives his input on Sasuke's situation, and our two boys spend some time together while trying to understand how to balance their chemistry.

**Thank you so much for all the continuous support, guys! I'm so happy that this story is reaching you! You have no idea how your kind words motivate me to write more!**

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